Bristol man gets five years in prison

A Bristol man is to serve five years in prison after burglarizing a Washington gas station of $23,000 of cash and merchandise in September 2016.

Alberto Amezquita, 34, of 60 Sycamore St., Bristol, pleaded guilty to first-degree larceny and third-degree robbery charges Tuesday in Superior Court in Torrington.

According to an affidavit, State Police Troop L responded to the Citgo/Quik Mart gas station at 210 New Milford Turnpike in Washington just after 5 a.m. on Sept. 3, 2016, on the report of a burglary.

“(I)nvestigative efforts revealed the telephone line was severed near the base of a utility pole and the business was forcibly entered through an exterior door. An ATM and approximately $23,000 worth of cash and merchandise was stolen, and approximately $5,000 worth of damage was incurred,” said Detective Michael W. Fitzsimmons of the State Police Western District Major Crime Squad in the affidavit.

Surveillance footage showed four individuals entering and removing items from the store, according to the affidavit.

A police dog was called to the scene, and found the stolen ATM in a nearby field, as well as purple latex gloves.

DNA evidence drawn from the gloves matched Amezquita, who was previously convicted of a felony and thus required to submit a sample to the state.

Police later met Amezquita, who “provided ... no explanation as to why his DNA would have been found by any items recovered by the police.”

Amezquita told police that he could not recall the specific date of the incident, but was involved in the burglary, according to state attorney Dawn Gallo.

He is to serve five years in prison, followed by five years special parole as part of his plea agreement with the state.

He was scheduled to return to Superior Court in Torrington on Feb. 23 for sentencing.