A former Brooklyn man has been charged in connection with two armed bank robberies, federal prosecutors said this week.
Officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Connecticut said Zachary Provost, 32, was charged on Tuesday with Hobbs Act Robbery, an offense that can carry a maximum prison term of 20 years, if a defendant is found guilty.
Authorities said Provost, who was most recently living in Waterbury, on Dec. 8 robbed a gas station on Straits Turnpike in Middlebury before also robbing a Dunkin’ Donuts shop inside the station.
Police said Provost pointed what appeared to be a firearm at a gas station clerk and took approximately $578 from a register. He also demanded and received cigarettes — valued at $131 — from the cashier, police said. He next walked to a nearby doughnut counter, again displayed a handgun and took roughly $350 from a register, police said.
Prosecutors said Provost is a suspect in other bank robberies.
Provost has been in custody since his arrest on Dec. 9 when Waterbury police responded to a report of an overdose victim in a hotel. Police said Provost was staying in the same room as the female victim, who was revived.
Provost was being sought by police in New Hampshire and Connecticut who suspected him of other robberies.
According to a press release posted on Nashua Police Department’s website last month, Provost entered a TD Bank at 10 Gusabel Ave., Nashua, on Dec. 4 and passed a note to the bank teller demanding cash.
Nashua police said Provost then fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. He was seen driving a red pickup truck with Connecticut plate 730ZYN. However, police said a search of the plate number did not come back with a red pickup truck. Nashua police had issued an arrest warrant charging Provost with robbery.
On Dec. 1, Putnam police responded to a reported robbery at Putnam Bank in the Price Chopper located at 251 Kennedy Drive. According to a report, the suspect entered the bank at approximately 6:30 p.m., at which time he presented a note to a bank teller demanding cash and stating he had a knife. The individual left with an undisclosed amount of cash.
After reviewing security footage, police released photographs of the suspect that matched a description of Provost.
This ongoing investigation into Provost is being conducted by the FBI, the Waterbury Police Department and other state and local law enforcement agencies.