Acushnet Man Sentenced for 2021 New Bedford Bank Robbery Spree

FALL RIVER (WBSM) — An Acushnet man has been sentenced to up to eight years in prison for committing five armed and masked robberies in New Bedford.

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III said that Christopher Daponte, 47, pleaded guilty on July 18 and was sentenced to serve six to eight years in state prison for the robberies that occurred over a six-month period from April 2021 to October 2021.

Robbery No. 1: Walgreens

The first robbery took place on April 23, 2021, at about 9:20 p.m. at the Walgreens on Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford. The victim, a 17-year-old female clerk, reported to the New Bedford Police that a male wearing all black with a black face mask entered the store, pulled a black gun from his sweatshirt, pointed it at her, and demanded she give him all of the money. She gave him $50 and he then told her to sit on the floor and not where he was going, and that he would be back.

Robbery No. 2: St. Anne’s Credit Union

Less than a week later, on April 29, 2021 at about 5:25 p.m., the St. Anne’s Credit Union on Acushnet Avenue was robbed by a heavyset white male with a dark hooded sweatshirt and a gaiter-style face mask. He handed a note to the teller stating he had a gun and wanted money.

“When the first teller could not locate her drawer, the male went to a second teller,” Quinn said. “He gave the second teller a dark shopping bag and told her not to stall or place dye packs in the bag. The second teller complied and put $2,144 into the bag.”

The suspect then fled with the money and note.

Robbery No. 3: St. Anne’s Credit Union, Again

The robber returned to that same St. Anne’s on May 12, 2021, at 3:50 p.m. Tellers reported it was the same suspect wearing the same clothing. After telling the teller he wanted to make a withdrawal, and being asked for identification, the robber handed the victim a dark shopping bag and told her to put all the money in and not delay or he would point a gun at her. He then displayed the butt of a black handgun. He ended up fleeing with $5,174 in the bag.

Robbery No. 4: Mechanics Cooperative Bank

On September 24, 2021 at about 3:45 p.m., the Mechanics Cooperative Bank on Kempton Street was robbed by a heavyset white male with a gray hooded sweatshirt and black surgical mask. He showed tellers a black gun and demanded money from three of them, again using a black shopping bag. Two of the tellers complied, giving him a total of $1,717, but the third teller said she had no money in her drawer. The suspect then left but said he would return and expected more money to be available.

Robbery No. 5: Mechanics Cooperative Bank, Again

He did return, two weeks later, on October 5, 2021 at about 3:38 p.m. Again, tellers described him as the same heavyset male and said he was wearing the same clothing from the September 24 robbery. He entered the bank and pointed a gun at a teller, demanding money, and made off with $2,530.

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How Police Caught Daponte

According to Quinn, the police investigation determined a blue Mazda MX30 SUV was used by a man wearing the same clothing as the robber in the area of the Mechanics Cooperative Bank on both robbery dates. The vehicle was registered to Daponte’s mother, and one of the victims from the bank was able to identify him from a photograph. Police also used surveillance video to identify Daponte in his own Chevy Traverse in the area of St. Anne’s Credit Union on both of the dates that bank was robbed.

Daponte Arrested in Acushnet

On October 8, 2021, police arrested Daponte at his home in Acushnet. They searched his residence and found clothing that matched those worn during the robberies, a black BB gun, black surgical masks and black shopping bags. He also had $640 in cash on him.

Once arrested, Daponte admitted to all five robberies, telling police he used the money to pay bills and fund his lifestyle, Quinn said.

“The defendant went on a robbery spree, terrorizing innocent people who were just doing their job. The defendant robbed a total of $10,000, some of which was recovered,” Quinn said. “The defendant posted bail but was rearrested for possession of fentanyl. He is a danger to the public and needs to be kept off the street for a lengthy period of time.”