(Hartford, CT)- Sharmese L. Walcott, Hartford Judicial District State’s Attorney, announced today that a jury in Hartford Superior Court on August 8, 2025, found Joshua Jenkins, age 33, of East Hartford, and Branden Holloway, age 26, of Hartford, guilty of home invasion, multiple sexual assault, assault and robbery charges related to a 2022 home invasion in Farmington.
Jenkins was found guilty of one count of Home Invasion, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-100aa(a)(1), and one count of Conspiracy to Commit a Home Invasion, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-100a(a)(1), two counts of Sexual Assault in the Third Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-72b, two counts of Assault in the Second Degree with a weapon, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a(a)(2), two counts of Robbery in the First Degree by threat of a firearm, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-134(a)(4), and one count of Conspiracy to Commit a Robbery in the First Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-134(a)(4),
Branden Holloway was found guilty of one count of Home Invasion, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-100aa(a)(1), and one count of Conspiracy to Commit a Home Invasion, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-100a(a)(1), two counts of Sexual Assault in the Third Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-72b, two counts of Assault in the Second Degree with a weapon, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-(a)(2), two counts of Robbery in the First Degree by threat of a firearm, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-134(a)(4), and one count of Conspiracy to Commit a Robbery in the First Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-134(a)(4).
According to evidence introduced at trial, on September 13, 2022, at approximately 1:45 a.m., Farmington police officers responded to a 911 call at a local residence. Officers located two victims who were bloodied and naked. Victims 1 and 2 reported that at approximately 11 p.m., Jenkins and Holloway, dressed in black clothing, came through the tree line holding firearms with lasers, and ordered Victims 1 and 2 out of the hot tub and into the home of Victim 2. Jenkins and Holloway told the victims, “This is a robbery not a homicide.” After stripping the victims naked and tying up their hands and feet, Jenkins and Holloway ransacked the home for two hours in search of jewelry, money and valuables. The victims were pistol-whipped and assaulted in several, some degrading, ways in an attempt to find cash and jewelry in the home. Sometime before 1:30 a.m., Victims 1 and 2 escaped by untying themselves and jumping from the second-floor balcony. They ran through the trees to a neighbor’s home and asked for help to call the police.
According to testimony from a cooperating witness, the crime was a planned home invasion and robbery. Cell phone and Instagram records show phone calls between the defendants before and after the home invasion. Records from cell towers placed the defendants near the victim’s home at the time of the home invasion.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Samantha Magnani and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Riley, with the assistance of Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Danielle O’Connell, Inspector Joseph Buyak, Paralegal Specialist Lakisha Malave, and Certified Legal Interns Ana Faoro and Abigail Stock.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 7, 2025 in Hartford Superior Court.