Costello Arraignment—

Ex-Cop Pleads Not Guilty To Five Felonies

By Andrew Gorosko

DANBURY — During his arraignment in Danbury Superior Court on Friday, March 25, Domenic Costello, a former Newtown police officer who is charged with five felonies in connection with his alleged theft of money from the Newtown Police Union’s financial accounts, pleaded not guilty to all five charges pending against him.

Mr Costello, 33, of Stratford has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny; two counts of first-degree larceny; one count of accessory to first-degree larceny; and one count of third-degree larceny. Mr Costello, an ex-sergeant, formerly served as the police union’s treasurer.

Following a five-month investigation, Danbury police charged Mr Costello with the offenses on March 16. Danbury police conducted the probe on behalf of the Newtown Police Department.

Attorney Eugene J. Riccio represented Mr Costello in court. Mr Riccio said he was substituting that day for his legal partner, attorney John R. Gulash, Jr, whom Mr Costello has hired as his criminal defense lawyer.

Mr Costello is next scheduled to appear in court on April 21.

Also, former Newtown police officer Andrew Stinson, 34, of Watertown, has been charged with six felonies in connection with his alleged theft of money from the police union’s financial accounts.

Mr Stinson has been arrested on one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny; three counts of first-degree larceny; one count of second-degree larceny; and one count of third-degree larceny. Mr Stinson, an ex-patrol officer and police dog handler, formerly was the police union’s president.

Mr Stinson had been scheduled for court arraignment on March 25, but his attorney had requested a delay. That arraignment is now slated for April 5.

Mr Stinson formerly was represented by attorney Joseph Gegeny, but is now represented by attorney James Diamond.

Arrest warrant affidavits for Mr Stinson and Mr Costello describe the Newtown Police Union’s discovery last October that it was missing large sums of money due to illegitimate withdrawals from union financial accounts by the two former police officers.

During a police investigation into the missing money, the two police officers explained that they had “borrowed” money from union accounts to cover personal expenses and intended to pay back the union. “Both Stinson and Costello admitted that they did take out ‘personal loans’ to help with personal problems,” according to the court papers.

According to the court documents, approximately $187,307 was stolen from police union accounts. Of that sum, Mr Stinson is listed as being responsible for $95,668 of the missing money, and Mr Costello for $91,639 of the missing funds.

Before his arraignment, Mr Costello, dressed in a conservative dark business suit, sat quietly in the back row of the courtroom. When walking through the courtroom, he looked straight ahead.

Judge Susan Quinn Cobb presided. Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen Zingaro served as the prosecutor at the arraignment in Courtroom 2 at the White Street courthouse.

Both men are free on written promises to appear in court. Both men resigned as police officers earlier this year.