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US Attorney for Connecticut

CT Car Salesman Who Swindled $646K From Banks Gets 2 Years In Prison: DOJ CT Car Salesman Who Swindled $646K From Banks Gets 2 Years In Prison: DOJ
CT Car Salesman Who Swindled $646K From Banks Gets 2 Years In Prison: DOJ A Connecticut man who swindled multiple banks and credit unions out of more than $646,000 through fraudulent auto loans has been sentenced to two years in federal prison, authorities announced. Ronnie Bonner, 64, of Hartford, appeared in court on Wednesday, March 19, where he was sentenced to 24 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut said. Prosecutors say Bonner orchestrated a scheme that involved applying for auto loans—often using the names of friends—without actually purchasing vehicles. Between September 2014 and February 20…
Guilty! Woman Smuggled Workers Into CT, Used Threats, Unpaid Debt To Exploit Them: DOJ Guilty! Woman Smuggled Workers Into CT, Used Threats, Unpaid Debt To Exploit Them: DOJ
Guilty! Woman Smuggled Workers Into CT, Used Threats, Unpaid Debt To Exploit Them: DOJ A Connecticut woman who smuggled immigrants into Connecticut and trapped them in a cycle of debt, labor, and fear has been sentenced to three years in federal prison, authorities announced. Porfiria Maribel Ramos Sanchez, 47, a Mexican national living in Vernon, pleaded guilty to her role in a human trafficking scheme that preyed on vulnerable immigrants, including minors, the US Attorney for Connecticut said. Investigators found that Ramos, her mother, and others smuggled at least 19 victims — many from Mexico — into the U.S., charging them up to $20,000 just to cross the border. Once in C…
Naugatuck Sex Offender Admits To Child Porn Charge, Faces Decade In Prison: DOJ Naugatuck Sex Offender Admits To Child Porn Charge, Faces Decade In Prison: DOJ
Naugatuck Sex Offender Admits To Child Porn Charge, Faces Decade In Prison: DOJ A registered sex offender in Connecticut admitted to child porn charges this week and faces potentially decades in prison, federal authorities announced.  Travis Tilley, 41, of Naugatuck, pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material on Thursday, March 6, the US Attorney for Connecticut said.  He was convicted of similar charges in 2019 in state court and released in 2022, records show.  Tilley was serving 15 years probation, and during an unannounced visit to his home, his probation officer seized his laptop and found more of the offending material, the federal…
NJ Business Admits To Polluting Cheshire Brook, Causing Fish Kill — Fined $1M: DOJ NJ Business Admits To Polluting Cheshire Brook, Causing Fish Kill — Fined $1M: DOJ
NJ Business Admits To Polluting Cheshire Brook, Causing Fish Kill — Fined $1M: DOJ A New Jersey company has been ordered to pay a $1 million fine for violating the Clean Water Act after an unauthorized discharge of a hazardous material into a Connecticut waterway killed over 150 fish and contaminated the local ecosystem, federal authorities said.  National Water Main Cleaning Company (NWMCC), in Newark, New Jersey, was sentenced in federal court for knowingly releasing uncured geopolymer mortar into Cuff Brook while refurbishing a culvert pipe in Cheshire, the US Attorney for Connecticut said.  The project, which took place in July 2019, was supposed to follow s…
CT Man Who Forced Child To Produce Child Porn, Abused Her Gets 26 Years: Feds CT Man Who Forced Child To Produce Child Porn, Abused Her Gets 26 Years: Feds
CT Man Who Forced Child To Produce Child Porn, Abused Her Gets 26 Years: Feds A 58-year-old Connecticut man who admitted to making child porn with a young girl and repeatedly sexually assaulting her will spend more than 26 years behind bars before being deported, authorities said.  Servio Barros-Terreros, formerly of Stamford, was sentenced to 360 months in prison for repeatedly abusing a girl who was 9 and 10 years old and threatening her to keep her quiet, the US Attorney for Connecticut said.  The girl reached out to police in December 2022 to report to Barros-Terreros had taken sexually explicit photos of her and made her undress for him …
Sex Offender Deported in 2021 Busted Again in CT, Sentenced for Illegal Reentering US: Feds Sex Offender Deported in 2021 Busted Again in CT, Sentenced for Illegal Reentering US: Feds
Sex Offender Deported in 2021 Busted Again in CT, Sentenced for Illegal Reentering US: Feds A Honduran man convicted of sex crimes in Connecticut was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison after he illegally reentered the United States after being deported, authorities said.  Jose Pavon-Fermin, 40, was removed from the country in June 2021 after serving time for sexual assault and unlawful restraint, the US Attorney for Connecticut said.  Pavon-Fermin was accused of harassing a woman on a Norwalk bus in 2016, before taking her to a nearby apartment, where he attacked her, prosecutors said, per the Stamford Advocate.  He was ordered to register as a sex offender f…
Waterbury Felon Who Crashed Into Police Car In Failed Escape Attempt Gets 4 Years: Feds Waterbury Felon Who Crashed Into Police Car In Failed Escape Attempt Gets 4 Years: Feds
Waterbury Felon Who Crashed Into Police Car In Failed Escape Attempt Gets 4 Years: Feds A 28-year-old Waterbury man was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm, following a dramatic August 2023 arrest. Anfernee D. Dancy, who has a lengthy criminal history, was caught after leading Waterbury Police on a brief chase. Officers tried to stop Dancy’s SUV, but he reversed into one of their cruisers and tried to run away, but didn’t get far, the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut said. Following a struggle, Dancy was taken into custody. Police found a loaded Jimenez Arms 9mm handgun, crack cocaine, a digital scale, and $282 in cash in his car. Dancy,…
CT Man, 73, Admits To Filming Himself Sexually Abusing Child: Feds CT Man, 73, Admits To Filming Himself Sexually Abusing Child: Feds
CT Man, 73, Admits To Filming Himself Sexually Abusing Child: Feds A 73-year-old Connecticut man admitted this week to filming himself sexually abusing a child and sharing it online, federal authorities said.  Orlando Guzman, of New Britain, pleaded guilty to child exploitation offenses stemming from his sexual abuse of a minor and sharing and receiving child sexual abuse material, the US Attorney for Connecticut said.  Investigators accused Guzman of using private groups online to upload and share photos and videos of child sexual abuse material. From February through August 2022, he reportedly uploaded cellphone videos of himself abusing a…
Ex-Mass Officer Busted in $3M Fake Luxury Watch Conspiracy Gets 60 Days In Jail: Feds Ex-Mass Officer Busted in $3M Fake Luxury Watch Conspiracy Gets 60 Days In Jail: Feds
Ex-Mass Officer Busted in $3M Fake Luxury Watch Conspiracy Gets 60 Days In Jail: Feds If you bought a luxury watch from a Massachusetts police officer for a steal, you may have been duped. That’s what former cop Klevis Nako, 24, admitted to in a Connecticut federal court this week, according to federal authorities. Nako was convicted of conspiracy to sell counterfeit goods after he imported fake designer watches from China and sold them across the U.S. through Instagram and Facebook, the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut said. He has been sentenced to 60 days in federal prison, authorities said. His operation unraveled after federal agents intercepted dozens of shipments and con…
3-Time Sex Offender Gets 11 Years In Jail After Police Find Child-Like Doll In Derby Home: Feds 3-Time Sex Offender Gets 11 Years In Jail After Police Find Child-Like Doll In Derby Home: Feds
3-Time Sex Offender Gets 11 Years In Jail After Police Find Child-Like Doll In Derby Home: Feds A Derby man will spend more than 11 years in federal prison for a disturbing child exploitation case — his third conviction involving children — and violations of his supervised release, federal authorities said. Michael Szwarc, 36, was sentenced to 134 months of imprisonment, along with 25 years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut said. Szwarc was previously convicted in 2013 in state court for possession of child sexual abuse material in the second degree, and again in 2022 in federal court for receiving such material, authorities said. ** WARNING: The following news…
Fugitive Who Used Fake Virus In Terrifying CT Home Invasion Sentenced After 15 Years On Run Fugitive Who Used Fake Virus In Terrifying CT Home Invasion Sentenced After 15 Years On Run
Fugitive Who Used Fake Virus In Terrifying CT Home Invasion Sentenced After 15 Years On Run A Romanian man involved in a terrifying 2007 Connecticut home invasion has been sentenced to seven years in prison after evading capture for 15 years, authorities said.  Stefan Alexandru Barabas, 38, was part of a group that terrorized two residents in a scheme that seemed straight out of a nightmare. Just before midnight, Barabas and his accomplices — Emanuel Nicolescu and Alexandru Lucian Nicolescu — broke into a South Kent home wearing masks and wielding knives and fake guns, the US Attorney for Connecticut said.  They tied up and blindfolded two adults, injecting them with a s…
IT Manager Who Used Low-Tech Hack to Embezzle $2M From CT Business Headed to Prison: Feds IT Manager Who Used Low-Tech Hack to Embezzle $2M From CT Business Headed to Prison: Feds
IT Manager Who Used Low-Tech Hack to Embezzle $2M From CT Business Headed to Prison: Feds A Connecticut man will spend two years in federal prison after stealing nearly $2 million from his employer and dodging hundreds of thousands in taxes over a seven-year scheme, authorities said. Evan Bobzin, 39, of Chester, was sentenced to 24 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, after admitting to embezzling $1.9 million from Hoffman’s Gun Center in Newington, where he worked as head of information technology, according to the US Attorney for Connecticut. Prosecutors said Bobzin used his insider access to methodically steal cash receipts from the store's safe …
Greenwich Investment Firm Founder Stole Millions In Clients' Cash: Feds Greenwich Investment Firm Founder Stole Millions In Clients' Cash: Feds
Greenwich Investment Firm Founder Stole Millions In Clients' Cash: Feds A 49-year-old Connecticut man faces potentially decades in prison after he allegedly defrauded and stole $3.5 million of his client's money for years, federal authorities said.  Justin C. Murphy, 49, of Stamford, is charged with 15 counts of wire fraud, five counts of money laundering, and three counts of tax evasion, the US Attorney for Connecticut announced on Tuesday, Nov. 5.  Murphy ran the Greenwich-based investment firm Mara. The company also went by Mara Investment Group, LLC, Mara Investment Management LP, and Mara Investments Global Management LLC.  Federal inv…
CT Man Had More Than 2,000 Images Of Child Porn On His Phone: Feds CT Man Had More Than 2,000 Images Of Child Porn On His Phone: Feds
CT Man Had More Than 2,000 Images Of Child Porn On His Phone: Feds A 31-year-old Connecticut man is facing potentially decades in prison after police say they found thousands of images of child sexual abuse material and discussed shared it on social media, authorities said.  Burnest Geyer, of Shelton in Fairfield County, was charged with receipt and distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography, the US Attorney for Connecticut said.  Police began investigating Geyer after linking him to a Telegram account that discussed sharing videos and photos of child sexual abuse material, the federal prosecutor said. He even…
Businessman Gets Year In Prison For Tax Evasion, Must Pay $237K: Feds Businessman Gets Year In Prison For Tax Evasion, Must Pay $237K: Feds
Businessman Gets Year In Prison For Tax Evasion, Must Pay $237K: Feds A Connecticut businessman who admitted to hiding cash from the government for a decade was sentenced to a year and a day in prison and had to pay more than $200,000, federal authorities said.  Vishal Dhar, age 56, of New Canaan in Fairfield County, pleaded guilty to tax evasion in May and was sentenced on Monday, Oct, 7, the US Attorney for Connecticut said. He must serve two years of probation after he is released.  Dhar was accused of operating multiple entities such as Grey Brown, Inc. (a holding company for several restaurants operating under the name “Oaxaca Taqueria”), West …
Drug Dealer Admits To Giving 27-Year-Old Meriden Woman Drugs That Killed Her: Feds Drug Dealer Admits To Giving 27-Year-Old Meriden Woman Drugs That Killed Her: Feds
Drug Dealer Admits To Giving 27-Year-Old Meriden Woman Drugs That Killed Her: Feds A 40-year-old Connecticut man admitted in court this week that he supplied a 27-year-old woman with some of the drugs that led to her overdose death, authorities said.  Jimmy Lassus, of Wethersfield in Hartford County, pleaded guilty on Monday, Sept. 30, to the distribution of fentanyl and oxycodone, the US Attorney for Connecticut said. He faces up to 20 years in prison.  Investigators said Lassus sold oxycodone and fentanyl to a 27-year-old Meriden woman who died of an overdose in her bed on Oct. 6, 2023. The two exchanged multiple texts about drugs leading up to …
CT Man Accused Of Ripping Off Amazon Workers CT Man Accused Of Ripping Off Amazon Workers
CT Man Accused Of Ripping Off Amazon Workers A Connecticut man accused of stealing dozens of high-end goods from Amazon workers faces federal charges.  Terrell Kimble, age 44, of Hartford, is charged with four counts of wire fraud, and was released after posting a $250,000 bail, the US Attorney for Connecticut said.  Kimble worked as a regional fleet specialist for Amazon and oversaw a rewards program called Coupa that would give high-performing workers high-end electronics like Apple iPads, AirPods, Apple Watches, and Nintendo Switches.  Federal prosecutors said Kimble kept those gifts for himself and had the items se…