This 7-11 on state Route 100 in Somers, N.Y. was the last store the crew robbed, according to authorities (photo from Google Maps).
SEYMOUR — A 25-year-old Seymour man who prosecutors said organized 11 armed robberies in three states and recruited a minor to help in the crimes was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison on Thursday.
Last year Steven Galarza and his partners targeted convenience stores and smoke shops in Connecticut, New Hampshire, and New York between February 27 and March 22, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Haven.
According to a sentencing memo from prosecutors, Galarza owned a flooring business that earned him $8,000 a month, yet opted to start robbing stores — with two previously-convicted felons who worked for him.
He was the getaway driver at first, according to court filings, and then went into the stores and participated directly. The robbers pulled BB guns on store clerks. The weapons looked like actual firearms, and the threats from the group caused at least one employee to be diagnosed with PTSD.
Galarza and his crew stole cash and cigarettes during their robbery spree.
Prosecutors said that after his two accomplices — New Britain residents Efrain Deleon and Gilberto Deleon — stopped participating in the crimes, Galarza recruited a minor into the crew.
“Galarza was the individual who came up with the idea and plan to commit the series of robberies,” according to a sentencing memo from U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe. “Galarza also had the final word on whether a particular robbery would go forward or not.“
The 2022 robbery spree included:
Feb. 27 – Scott’s Village Mobil Gas Station, 843 Farmington Avenue, Farmington
March 2 – Mystic Mobil Gas Station, 66 Whitehall Avenue, Mystic
March 3 – Shell Gas Station, 168 Bridge Street, East Windsor
March 3 – Food Bag, 960 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike, Southington
March 5 – Valero Gas Station, 1 Main Street, Ellington
March 5 – Sunoco Gas Station, 446 Bloomfield Avenue, Windsor
March 8 – Smoker’s Discount World, 636 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield
March 16 – Cove Smoke Market, located at 841 Cove Road, Stamford
March 19 – 7‑Eleven in Salem, New Hampshire
March 19 – Smoker’s Depot, located at 399 West Main Street, New Britain
March 22 – 7‑Eleven on Route 100 in Somers, New York
In a separate sentencing memo, Galarza’s lawyer, W. Theodore Koch III, points out that Galarza’s family didn’t like the men he employed, and pointed out they were much older than Galarza. The memo suggests Galarza fell victim to bad influences and a lack of impulse control.
It also notes that Galarza admitted and took responsibility for his crimes.
“He is embarrassed, he is contrite, he is going to listen to people who actually care about him, and he is never going to break the law again,” his lawyer wrote.
Background
FBI agents developed the trio — Galarza and the two Deleon men — as suspects using surveillance video from the stores and surrounding areas. The different images from the different robberies show people wearing similar clothes. Images of a BMW and a license plate were also captured, which law enforcement officials were able to trace to Gilberto DeLeon, the vehicle’s alleged registrant.
The BMW was tracked down to Galarza’s residence in Seymour, according to a court filing.
The FBI raided Galarza’s residence in April 2022 armed with a search warrant, and allegedly found clothes matching the clothes seen in the robbery surveillance video.
All three were arrested in April 2022.
A court filing also says the FBI recovered tobacco products and two facsimile firearms from Galarza’s place.
Galarza allegedly said the BMW from the robbery video was his. The FBI said they were able to determine that some of the tobacco products found in Galarza’s residence were stolen in the robberies.
Sentencing
Galarza was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny. He’ll be on three years probation after his release.
The federal cases against Efrain Deleon and Gilberto Deleon is pending.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police, and the Farmington, Stonington, East Windsor, Southington, Windsor, Wethersfield, Stamford, New Britain, Salem (N.H.), and Somers (N.Y.) police departments.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Keefe and Rahul Kale.
