Rutland Man Charged with Convenience Store Robberies

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Daniel Webster, 37, of Rutland, Vermont was arraigned by waiver today on a Superseding Indictment that alleges Webster committed two robberies that interfered with interstate commerce.  The first robbery occurred on July 24, 2021, at the Mobil gas station located on South Main Street in Rutland.  The second occurred on July 28, 2021, at the Mac’s convenience store in Fair Haven.  

According to court records, Webster is accused of entering the Mobil gas station on the evening of July 24, 2021, approaching the cash register with a package of crackers, spraying a liquid at the clerk, and stealing cash from the register.  A knife was recovered from the parking lot along the path of flight used by the robber.  Webster is also accused of entering the Mac’s convenience store on the afternoon of July 28, 2021, brandishing a knife as he walked around the counter directly to the store’s safe, removing a money bag from the safe, and removing additional cash from the register drawer.  Webster previously worked at the Mac’s convenience store and was familiar with the location of the safe and the operation of the store’s registers.

At today’s arraignment, not-guilty pleas on both robbery charges were entered on Webster’s behalf.  Webster is also accused in a separate federal case of distributing cocaine base on two occasions in March of 2021, and previously entered not-guilty pleas to those charges.  Webster is currently detained pending trial.  

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Webster remains presumed innocent until and unless he is convicted of a crime.  Webster faces a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment on both robbery charges.

United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Rutland City Police Department, the Vermont State Police, the Vermont Forensic Laboratory, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  

The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt.  Webster is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara Puls.