Two major Newtown-related criminal court cases were high-profile matters in the state courts during 2018.

One case involves a man who formerly lived in Newtown and had a prominent role in local government who has been charged by Norwalk police with a felony-level larceny. The other case involves a Southington man who worked here and was charged by Newtown police with multiple serious crimes.

Kyle Lyddy, 31, who is facing one count of first-degree larceny, was arrested by Norwalk police on September 10. According to Norwalk police, Lyddy, who lives in Danbury, was arrested following a month-long investigation regarding his alleged misappropriation of $500,000 from Match Marketing Group, his former employer in Norwalk.

In Newtown, Lyddy had been the chairman of the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Commission since its inception in 2013. He resigned that post in early April.

Lyddy ran an unsuccessful campaign for the 106th District State House of Representatives seat in 2016. Lyddy also served as the manager for the Oz Griebel gubernatorial campaign until he resigned just before his arrest.

Following his arrest, Lyddy was released on $100,000 bail. Lyddy has not entered a plea to the Class B felony, which is now pending in Connecticut Superior Court in Stamford. Lyddy is scheduled to return to court on February 27, 2019. Lyddy is represented by attorney W.F. Dow of New Haven.

Arson Conviction

In Connecticut Superior Court in Danbury on November 5, a Southington man whom police charged with arson in connection with a January 2017 package store fire on South Main Street was found guilty of first-degree arson, first-degree reckless endangerment, and insurance fraud.

Judge Kevin Russo found Scott B. Young, 41, guilty of the three crimes to which Young had pleaded nolo contendre. In such nolo pleas, the defendant does not admit guilt, but does not contest the charges. Young had been the proprietor of Rooster Wines & Liquors at 113 South Main Street (Route 25) at the time of the incident.

The state did not prosecute five other charges to which Young had pleaded not guilty. Those charges were interfering with police, making a false statement, first-degree criminal mischief, and two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment.

In court, Judge Russo sentenced Young to seven years in prison on the arson conviction, which would be suspended after he serves six months of that sentence. The judge gave Young an unconditional discharge on the two other convictions.

Following his planned release from prison next May, Young will be placed on three years of probation. If Young violates the terms of his probation, he would be subject to possibly serving the full prison term.

In making the arrest, police stated that Young falsely claimed that two male robbers had started a fire within the package store and sprayed anti-Semitic graffiti on the building’s exterior after committing robbery. Through their investigation, police determined that no robbery occurred and that Young had started that fire and sprayed the graffiti.

Police have said they filed three separate counts of first-degree reckless endangerment against Young because three people — a father, a mother, and a child — were inside their apartment, which is located on the second story of 113 South Main Street, when Young set the fire inside the ground-floor package store.

On December 21, Young was an inmate in Willard-Cybulski Correctional Institution in Enfield. Before his sentencing, he had been free on $100,000 bail in connection with the charges stemming from the January 21, 2017 package store incident.