U.S. Department of Justice

United States Attorney
District of Vermont

MAN INDICTED FOR CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT CONVENIENCE STORE ROBBERIES

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated today that a St. Albans man, Matthew D. Maskell, age 26, has been indicted by the federal grand jury and charged with engaging in a conspiracy with others to obstruct, delay and affect interstate commerce by means of robbery.

The indictment alleges that Matthew D. Maskell conspired with Ashley Penniman, Gerald LaFlam, and Christopher Adams from January 22, 2007 through February 5, 2007. Under the federal Hobbs Act, it is a violation of federal law for an individual to engage in a robbery which affects interstate commerce, or to conspire to do so. The United States Attorney emphasized that the charges contained in the indictment are an accusation only and the defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Maskell faces a possible term of imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of $250,000. The actual sentence would be determined in accordance with the federal advisory sentencing guidelines. Today's indictment alleges that Maskell conspired with Ashley Penniman, Gerald LaFlam and Christopher Adams to obstruct, delay or affect commerce by robbery. Maskell is alleged, in an earlier affidavit filed in the case, to have committed four robberies during the conspiracy in which the perpetrator wore a hooded sweatshirt backwards, with the hood concealing the face while in possession of an apparent firearm.

The grand jury has previously indicted Christopher Adams with aiding and abetting in the January 28, 2007 robbery of the Champlain Farms Store in Colchester and the January 29, 2007 robbery of the Chittenden Mills Beverage Store in Jericho. On Monday Gerald LaFlam pled guilty to a charge of a Hobbs Act conspiracy and the robbery on February 3, 2007 of the Jerusalem Country Store in Starksboro. Penniman, who was previously indicted for conspiracy and the robbery of the Starksboro store, was named again as a defendant for the conspiracy which is alleged to have occurred from January 22, 2007 (the date of the robbery of the Hinesburg General Store) to February 5, 2007. Adams and Penniman are awaiting trial.

It is anticipated that Maskell will be arraigned on the indictment soon. He is presently in state custody on an unrelated matter. United States Attorney Thomas D. Anderson commended the swift and cooperative effort of several law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation of these robberies, including the Burlington resident agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vermont State Police, the Hinesburg Community Police Department, the Colchester Police Department, and the Chittenden County State's Attorneys Office. Assistant United States Attorney John M. Conroy is the prosecutor in the case.