Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL MORRIS, 60, of Bloomfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for committing violent bank robberies in Southbury, Cromwell and Wallingford.

According to court documents and statements made in court, MORRIS, Leroy McCoy and Keith Sutherland conspired to commit the armed robberies of the Naugatuck Savings Bank in Southbury on April 20, 2011, the Webster Bank in Cromwell on October 7, 2011, and the Connex Credit Union in Wallingford on April 19, 2012.

Prior to each robbery, Sutherland, with the knowledge of MORRIS and McCoy, stole a minivan in the New Haven area. Upon arriving at each victim bank, MORRIS, McCoy and two other individuals, wearing masks and armed with handguns, burst into the bank and ordered employees and customers to the ground. They then forced a bank employee to open the vault, stuffed money taken from the vault and teller drawers into duffle bags, exited the bank fled in the stolen vehicle.

A total of approximately $230,000 was taken during the three robberies.

MORRIS has been detained since his arrest on October 4, 2013. On September 24, 2014, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery.

McCoy and Sutherland also pleaded guilty. On December 10, 2014, McCoy was sentenced to 54 months of imprisonment. Sutherland awaits sentencing.

This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, and the Cromwell, Wallingford, Fairfield and Orange Police Departments.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.