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Man Admits Operating Scam That Defrauded CT Victim Of Nearly $1.2 Million
A 35-year-old man has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge stemming from a lottery scam that defrauded an elderly Connecticut victim of nearly $1.2 million.
Stieve Fernandez, age 35, of Argentine and Jamacia, made the plea on Wednesday, Feb. 3, in Bridgeport, said U.S. Attorney John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately 2015 to 2018, Fernandez and others, including Minique Morris and Horace Crooks, defrauded an elderly Mystic resident in a lottery scam.
As part of their scheme, Ferna…
CT Man Admits To Assaulting USPS Worker
A Connecticut man has pleaded guilty to assaulting a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier after making sexual advances while inside her postal vehicle.
Demorse Kelley, age 39, of Hartford, pleaded guilty on Thursday, Jan. 21, for the Friday, June 7, 2019, event in Hartford, said John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 7, a postal letter carrier was sorting mail inside her delivery van that was parked on Sigourney Street in Hartford.
Kelley approached the van from the sidewalk, slid the…
Norwalk Man Charged With Illegal Gun Possession
A Fairfield County man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
David Burden, age 40, of Norwalk, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday, Jan. 20, following the indictment, said John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
Burden has been detained in state custody since his arrest on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on Sept. 30, Bridgeport Police officers arrested Burden after he fired a gun in the area of Kossuth Street and Nichols Street in Bridgeport.
Investigators …
CT Man Sentenced For Fentanyl, Crack Distribution Offenses
A Connecticut man has been sentenced to 36 months in prison for the distribution of fentanyl and crack cocaine.
Nathaniel DeJesus, age 21, of Hartford, was sentenced to the prison term followed by four years of supervised release on Monday, Jan. 25, said John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2019, after a spate of gun violence in Hartford, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, DEA, Hartford Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies initiated an investigation targeting gang-…
CT Man Sentenced For Illegally Possessing Handguns
A Connecticut man has been sentenced to four-and-half years in prison for illegally possessing two firearms.
Carlos Barnes, also known as "Buddha," age 29, of New Haven, was sentenced to prison time in addition to three years of supervised release on Thursday, Jan. 21, said John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, Hamden Police arrested Barnes after they found him in possession of a Taurus Millennium G2 9mm handgun and a Springfield XD-40 .40 caliber handgun with an obliterated seria…
CT Man Sentenced For Dealing Fentanyl
A Connecticut man has been sentenced to 77 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for distributing fentanyl.
Tylon Hicks, age 44, of Hartford, was sentenced Wednesday, Jan. 20, by U.S. District Michael P. Shea, said John H. Durham, U.S. States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2019, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force received information that Tylon Hicks’ brother, Troy Hicks, was involved in the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine.
On Wednesday, August 14, 2…
CT Man Accused Of Defrauding Investors
A Connecticut man has been indicted on 17 counts of allegedly defrauding investors of an alcoholic beverage company.
Brian Hughes, 56, of Madison, was indicted on Friday, Jan. 15, following his arrest, said John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
The indictment alleges that in March 2015, Hughes founded Handcrafted Brands, for the purpose of raising money to purchase Salute American Vodka, an alcoholic beverage company.
After founding the company, Hughes allegedly solicited and received funds from investors for the purchase and development of Salute.
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Bus Driver From Fairfield County Sentenced For Child Enticement Offense, Planning Murder
A bus driver from Fairfield County has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, and for obstructing justice by attempting to have the minor victim murdered.
Jose Manuel Santos, age 38, of Bridgeport, was sentenced on Wednesday, Jan. 13, to the time in prison, as well as seven years of supervised release, said John H. Durham, US Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Santos was employed by Curtin Livery as a bus/van driver in Connecticut with responsibilities that include…
CT Man Sentenced For Narcotics Distribution
A Connecticut man has been sentenced to 70 months in prison for distributing narcotics.
Hartford County resident McClendon Jones, age 40, of Bloomfield, was sentenced on Friday, Jan. 8, by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley to the prison time, followed by four years of supervised release, said U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut John H. Durham.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2019, Jones sped away from investigators who were conducting a traffic stop in Hartford and his car sideswiped a city transit bus.
He eventually lo…
Felon From Fairfield County Admits To Having Gun, Feds Say
A Fairfield County man has pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Allen Lusmat, 30, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Nov. 18, to possessing the gun in New Haven when he entered a convenience store, said John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 10, 2019, Tyrell Cox-Henderson entered a convenience store in New Haven and placed a Smith & Wesson .357 caliber revolver behind some merchandise on a shelf. Approximately one hour later, Lusmat enter…
CT Meat Supplier Sentenced For Fabricating E. Coli Test Results
A Connecticut meat supplier has been sentenced to two years of probation for fabricating E. coli test results at his meat processing business
Matt Beqiri, 33, of Tolland, was sentenced on Tuesday, Nov. 24, and ordered to pay a $15,000 fine, said John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Beqiri is the owner and general manager of New England Meat Packing, located in Stafford Springs, a federally inspected business engaged in the slaughtering, processing, selling, and transporting of meat and meat food products fo…
Feds: Man Stole, Sold Tires, Rims From Luxury Auto Dealers In Westchester, Fairfield Counties
An out-of-state man has indicted by a grand jury on charges that he ran a scheme to steal tires ad rims from new vehicles at luxury car dealerships in Westchester, Fairfield and New Haven counties and elsewhere.
Michael Farias, 54, of Providence, Rhode Island, was charged on Wednesday, Nov. 18, following an investigation by the FBI and police departments from Shelton, Milford, Waterbury, and Darien, and Bedford, New York, said John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
As alleged in the indictment, between May 2015 and August 2018, Farias and others stole tires and rims …
Employee At CT Used Car Dealership Admits To Role In Loan Fraud Scheme
An employee of an area car dealership has pleaded guilty to write fraud as part of an auto loan scheme.
Justin Williams, 42, of Rocky Hill, pleaded guilty on Friday, Nov. 20, to taking part in the scheme at Car Nation in Middletown, said John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Williams worked as a salesman and de facto general manager at Car Nation, sometimes known as Middletown Motorcars, which was owned and operated by George Hajati.
In connection with automobile loan applications for multiple borrowe…
Supervisor At Fairfield Post Office Admits To Stealing Cash From Mail
A 37-year-old area woman pleaded guilty to stealing cash and other items from mail while employed as a postal supervisor at the Town of Fairfield Post Office.
Jessica Giles, 37, of West Haven, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Nov. 3, to the theft of mail by a postal employee, said John H. Durham, U.S.Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between October 2019 and May 2020, while she was employed as a supervisor at the U.S. Pos…
CT Woman Admits Lying To Grand Jury About Kidnapping, Triple Homicide
A 26-year-old Connecticut woman has admitted to making false statements before a federal grand jury in connection with an investigation into the kidnapping and murder of two individuals, and the related murder of a third individual, in November 2015, authorities announced. According to court documents and statements made in Bridgeport Court,
On Nov. 16, 2015, Laquasia Samms, also known as “Quasia,” 26, of New Haven, was present when an illegal firearm transaction was occurring in her apartment on Shelton Avenue in New Haven. Damian Connor and Tamar Lawrence were also pr…
Connecticut Man Indicted For Threat To Kill Trump, Bomb, Anthrax Hoaxes
A 51-year-old man has been indicted on 16 counts for numerous malicious incidents of intimidation that mentioned the use of explosives and bio-toxins, and for threatening to kill President Donald Trump, John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced on Saturday, May 11.
A federal grand jury in New Haven returned a 16-count indictment on Friday, May 10, charging Gary Joseph Gravelle, also known as Roland Prejean, with threatening to kill, injure and intimidate people and explode property in Connecticut and elsewhere.
As alleged in the indictment, in September 2…
Bridgeport Man Admits To Heroin Distribution, Firearm Possession
A man from Bridgeport has admitted to distributing heroin and possession of a firearm, according to John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
Ismael Mangual, 43, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven on Thursday, March 28.
Court documents and statements show that on August 31, 2017, Milford Police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Mangual was driving. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that Mangual did not have a license, and the vehicle was not registered or insured.
There was also a six-year-old child in the back seat…
Owner Of Restaurants In Stamford, Old Greenwich Admits To $122K Tax Fraud
The 32-year-old owner of three restaurants in Northern Westchester and Fairfield County has admitted to scheming the Internal Revenue Service out of more than $122,000.
Stamford resident Steven Cioffi paid employees under the table and skimmed cash off restaurant books, according to John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England.
Cioffi owned 50 percent of Nepperhan Restaurants Group, Inc., doing business as ReNapoli Pizza, in Old Greenwich, and Pinocchio Pizza in Pound Ridge, which …
