Englewood man sentenced to 12+ years for Lakewood bank robbery

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado announced on Thursday that a man out of Englewood was sentenced to over 12 years behind bars for a bank robbery that happened in Lakewood.

According to the U.S. attorney's office, it was revealed that Darren Michael Connolly, 27, was sentenced to "147 months, along with five years of supervised release for robbing a bank, being in possession of a firearm as a felon, and brandishing a weapon during a federal crime of violence."

His co-defendant, James David Trujillo Jr., 25, of Lakewood, was sentenced to over 11 years on Sept. 18 and also has three years of supervised release. 

The U.S. attorney's office says on June 15, 2022, the defendants robbed a Canvas Credit Union on West 5th Avenue in Lakewood as the men were armed with an "AR-15 and shotgun." It was also revealed that Connolly was wearing a GPS bracelet at the time of the robbery. 

Prosecutors claimed that when officers arrested Connolly on June 16, 2022, they found the AR-15 and shotgun inside his home. Afterwards, authorities were able to positively identify Trujillo as a suspect. 

"It's a blatant criminal who carries out the armed robbery of a bank while he is being monitored on parole. Clearly, this is a hardened felon and the public is safer with him behind bars," said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. "The Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force will continue to work with state and local agencies to protect our communities from violent criminals."

Connolly pleaded guilty in the case, while a jury found Trujillo guilty, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

"We will not tolerate such brazen criminal conduct in our communities," said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. "We thank our law enforcement partners for their invaluable help in bringing these defendants to justice."

U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello presided over the sentencing on Tuesday.