New Britain Woman Who Helped Brother Rob Nine Banks is Sentenced

Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that SANDRA GOLA, 37, of New Britain, was sentenced yesterday, August 13, by United States District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to approximately 10 months of imprisonment, time served, and three years of supervised release, for assisting her brother, Michael Gola, rob the Windsor Federal Savings Bank, 250 Broad Street, Windsor, of $1,893 on August 24, 2004. When she pleaded guilty on December 21, 2007, SANDRA GOLA also admitted that she assisted her brother in robbing three additional Connecticut banks and five banks located in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, the nine bank robberies in which SANDRA GOLA participated occurred in the spring and summer of 2004. For each robbery, SANDRA GOLA drove Michael Gola to and from each bank. Michael Gola would enter the bank and hand the teller a note in which he demanded money in large denominations. These notes also stated that Michael Gola had a gun, even though he never brandished a weapon. SANDRA GOLA admitted that she wrote some of these demand notes. She and Michael Gola would share the proceeds from these nine bank robberies, which amounted to $21,478 in total.

Judge Thompson sentenced SANDRA GOLA below the advisory sentencing guideline range of 37 to 46 months of imprisonment primarily based on GOLA’s substantial rehabilitation from an addiction to heroin.

SANDRA GOLA is required to pay restitution, jointly and severally with Michael Gola, to the victim financial institutions, of approximately $21,000.

On August 29, 2007, Judge Thompson sentenced Michael Gola to 111 months of imprisonment for committing 28 bank robberies, which include the nine bank robberies he performed with the assistance of his sister.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Connecticut and Massachusetts in conjunction with the New Britain, West Hartford, Bridgeport, Windsor, Mystic, Newtown, Mansfield, Darien, Plainville, Cromwell, Bristol, Westbrook, Greenburgh (NY), Orangetown (NY), Auburn (MA), Greenfield (MA), Northhampton (MA), Springfield (MA), Whatley (MA), Cliffside Park (NJ), Leonia (NJ), Lyndhurst (NJ), Cranston (RI), Portsmouth (RI), and South Kingston (RI) Police Departments.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Harold H. Chen.

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