The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Friday that a 59-year-old man has been sentenced on charges related to the armed robbery of a store at Westfarms in July 2024. 

By Ronni Newton

A Connecticut man with a long criminal history has been sentenced to 102 months in prison and five years of supervised release on charges related to an armed robbery of the Sunglass Hut store at Westfarms on July 15, 2o24, David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced Friday.

Willie White, 59, was indicted on charges related to the incident by a federal grand jury in New Haven on April 16, 2025.

White been detained since his arrest by West Hartford Police on July 15, 2024.

Officials said that according to court documents and statements made in court, White, who lists previous addresses of Bristol, New Britain, and Hartford, allegedly stole six pairs of designer sunglasses from the Sunglass Hut store at Westfarms and brandished a Glock pistol during the commission of the robbery. The value of the sunglasses was estimated at $2,811.

White was identified by Westfarms security personnel shortly after the robbery based on surveillance footage of the incident. He was also recognized due to security having had prior dealings with him shoplifting merchandise.

“Investigators learned that White was under state supervision and wearing a GPS monitoring device, and quickly located and arrested him at a restaurant in New Britain,” Friday’s announcement stated. “White possessed the stolen sunglasses, a Glock pistol, and a 9mm magazine loaded with 17 rounds of hollow point ammunition at the time of his arrest.  The pistol had been reported stolen in Alabama and was affixed with a ‘Glock switch,’ a conversion device that allows certain firearms to fire fully automatically.”

He was arrested by West Hartford Police and according to online court documents charged in this incident with third-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit third-degree larceny, stealing a firearm, criminal use of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, use of a machine gun in a violent crime, first-degree robbery with the threat of a firearm and conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery with the threat of a firearm, and illegal sale of purchase of a large-capacity magazine.

White had numerous previous felony convictions on charges that include drug, robbery, burglary, and other offenses.  It is a violation of federal law for a Anyone previously convicted of a felony offense is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

On March 17, 2026, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, White pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) handled the investigation of this incident,with the assistance of the West Hartford Police Department and the New Britain Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel prosecuted the case.

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford! Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.