VERNON, Conn. -- Two men who have been charged in connection with two armed robberies in Vernon and one in East Hartford, and who confessed to being involved in as many as six more in other towns, are members of the Bloods street gang and were committing robberies to generate revenue for the gang, according to warrants for their arrest.
Ronnell Hall, 23, of East Hartford, and Jonathan King, 20, of Manchester, face robbery and other charges for armed robberies Oct. 17 at People's Choice pizza in Vernon and Oct. 19 at the Subway on Route 83 near the Manchester line.
The pair, along with Jobron Haugabook, 20, of East Hartford, have also been charged with robbing the South Green Package store in East Hartford on Oct. 24.
Police from several towns, including East Hartford, Vernon and Hartford, had developed information that Hall was involved in several robberies, and a detail of 14 detectives were tracking him the night of the East Hartford robbery. As he stepped from the package store -- allegedly with a bag of money in one hand and a revolver in the other -- Vernon detectives Jim Grady and John DiVenere were driving by and ordered him to stop, according to the warrants. When he didn't stop, according to the warrants, the detectives chased him on foot and were soon joined by Vernon Officer Chuck Hicking, who tackled Hall several blocks from the package store.
Manchester detectives arrested King, who was described as the getaway driver, and Haugabook.
Back at East Hartford police headquarters, the three gave police statements about their roles in several armed robberies, including the two in Vernon, and one at the 7-Eleven in South Windsor, according to the warrants.
East Hartford Det. Jay Smola and Vernon Det. James Grady interviewed Hall, who confirmed to the detectives he was a member of the Gangster Miller Bloods, a branch of the Bloods gang based in East Hartford but that controls the Mather Street area of Albany Avenue in Hartford, according to the warrants. East Hartford and Hartford police said they already had information about Hall and King's gang affiliation.
Hall told the detectives there are three groups within the gang: enforcers who have been involved in shootings, stickup guys and drug dealers, according to the warrant. The stickup guys and drug dealers are responsible for generating money for the gang. Hall said he also used proceeds of the robberies to support his mother and his drug habit.
Hall also told detectives he's been a Bloods member since he was 13 and that he joined the gang because he thought it could provide things he wasn't getting at home, according to the warrant. At the time, he told police, his mother's boyfriend was doing drugs in their home.
The three remain in custody.
Copyright 2011 - The Hartford Courant, Conn.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
