Massachusetts Man Arrested in Connection with Armed Bank Robberies in New Hampshire and New Jersey

BOSTON, Massachusetts — A Massachusetts man has been arrested in connection with two armed bank robberies that occurred in separate states after a multi-agency investigation led federal authorities to believe he had fled to Upstate New York.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Joseph Sawyer, 52, of Townsend, Massachusetts, was arrested in connection with the armed robberies of St. Mary’s Bank in Nashua, New Hampshire, on June 12, 2026, and a Chase Bank branch in Boonton, New Jersey, on June 27, 2026.

Federal prosecutors allege Sawyer carried out both robberies using what appeared to be a black semiautomatic handgun, creating a dangerous situation for bank employees and customers. According to the criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire, Sawyer allegedly entered each bank, displayed the apparent firearm, ordered everyone inside to get onto the floor, and instructed victims to surrender their cell phones before carrying out the robberies.

The FBI also released surveillance images showing the suspect inside the banks during the robberies, including photographs that appear to show him displaying what investigators describe as a black semiautomatic handgun while issuing commands to employees and customers. The images were released as part of the investigation and document portions of the incidents that ultimately led to Sawyer’s arrest.

Investigators believe the demand for cell phones was intended to delay emergency calls to law enforcement and reduce the likelihood of an immediate response while the suspect fled the scene. Similar tactics have been observed in other armed robbery investigations, where suspects attempt to disrupt communications or slow witness reporting during the critical first moments after a crime.

Because the case is currently proceeding through a federal criminal complaint, the allegations remain unproven. Sawyer is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The investigation quickly expanded beyond state lines after authorities identified similarities between the two robberies. Federal investigators, working alongside state and local law enforcement agencies, coordinated efforts to identify and locate the suspect while tracking information across multiple jurisdictions.

According to the FBI, investigators from FBI Boston and the Nashua Police Department developed information indicating Sawyer may have traveled to Upstate New York following the robberies. Acting on that intelligence, members of the FBI Albany SWAT Team located and arrested Sawyer without further incident.

The arrest illustrates the level of coordination frequently required in major violent crime investigations involving multiple states. As suspects move across jurisdictional boundaries, investigations often rely on intelligence sharing, surveillance, forensic evidence, witness interviews, and close cooperation among federal, state, and local agencies to identify suspects and safely take them into custody.

Authorities credited numerous law enforcement agencies for their roles in the investigation, including FBI Boston, FBI Albany, FBI New Jersey, the Nashua Police Department, the New Jersey State Police, the New York State Police, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the District of New Hampshire, the District of New Jersey, the Northern District of New York, and the District of Massachusetts.

Bank robberies involving the display or threatened use of a firearm are prosecuted aggressively under federal law because of the significant danger they pose to victims, responding officers, and the public. Even when no shots are fired, investigators consider these offenses violent crimes due to the fear, intimidation, and potential for serious injury that accompany armed confrontations inside financial institutions.

Federal investigators will continue examining evidence gathered throughout the investigation as the criminal case proceeds through the federal court system. Additional information regarding the alleged robberies may emerge during future court proceedings.

The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.

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