New Haven Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Carjackings, Armed Robberies

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ELBERT LLORENS, 24, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by five of supervised release, for committing multiple carjackings and armed robberies in January 2016.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 1, 2016, two men from out of state who were driving a rented 2015 Volkswagen Passat were victims of an armed carjacking in the vicinity of Hobart Street and Myrtle Street in Meriden. The victims reported that they had stopped to ask an individual, later identified as Kyle Valentine, for directions to a gas station. Valentine told the victims to follow his car, which they did. After traveling a few minutes, Valentine’s car stopped and LLORRENS pointed a handgun at one of the victims who was sitting in the passenger seat of the car, opened the door and stated “I want everything.” The victims exited the car and LLORRENS and Valentine stole their wallets and cell phones and then drove away in the Passat.

LLORENS also committed armed robberies of a gas station in East Haven and a gas station in New Haven on January 3, 2016; attempted to rob a convenience store in Milford on January 4, 2016, and used a firearm and threats of violence to steal a 2006 Chevy Cobalt and a wallet from a victim in New Haven on January 5, 2016.

LLORRENS was arrested by New Haven Police shortly after the January 5 carjacking.

LLORRENS has been detained since his arrest. On December 15, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of taking a motor vehicle from a person by force and violence.

Valentine pleaded guilty to the same charge on August 11, 2016. He awaits sentencing, and also is detained.

This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the East Haven, Meriden, Milford and New Haven Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.