Man Charged In Connection With Robbery

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Mark Triolo, 46, of Texas, has been charged by criminal complaint for violating the federal robbery statute.  Triolo is currently being treated at Dartmouth Medical Center in New Hampshire for gunshot wounds he sustained in connection with this incident.  It is expected that Triolo will make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy as soon as he is physically able to do so.  

According to court documents, on May 1, 2018, Triolo robbed the Small City Market in Vergennes at gunpoint and fled the store with approximately $6115 in cash.  At the time of this robbery, Triolo was wanted on a parole violation in Texas, and he was a suspect in a recent robbery in Queensbury, New York.  On the evening of May 4, 2018, law enforcement was notified of two more armed robberies: one at the Ascutney Sunoco gas station in Weathersfield and a second armed robbery at the Allen Brothers Farm Market in Westminster.  Based on information generated from the Vergennes robbery and the robbery in New York, law enforcement believed that Triolo was involved in the robberies.

On May 4, 2018, at approximately 20:41 hours, law enforcement encountered Triolo at a gas station in Brattleboro and attempted to take him into custody.  Triolo fled the scene at a high rate of speed.  Triolo was later located on the Black Mountain Road in Brattleboro.  Officers began to give verbal commands to Triolo ordering him to stop and show his hands.  Triolo did not respond to those commands and officers subsequently fired multiple rounds striking him.  Triolo was taken into custody with officers rendering medical aid until rescue personnel arrived.  A search of the vehicle driven by Triolo recovered a pellet gun which was similar in appearance to an actual semi-automatic pistol and similar to the weapon used in the Small City robbery.   

United States Attorney Christina E. Nolan emphasized that the charge against Triolo is merely an accusation, and that Triolo is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.  If convicted, Triolo faces up to twenty years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.

This case was investigated by the Vermont State Police, the Vergennes Police Department, the Brattleboro Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.  This case exemplifies local, state and federal law enforcement working together to make our neighborhoods safer. 

The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy G. Fuller.