Ex-Police Court Cases Continued To October 14

By Andrew Gorosko

DANBURY — The two former Newtown police officers, who each have been charged with multiple felonies in connection with their alleged theft of funds from the Newtown Police Union’s financial accounts, have had their cases continued to October 14 in Danbury Superior Court.

Both Andrew Stinson, 35, of Watertown, and Domenic Costello, 33, of Stratford, had been scheduled to appear in court on September 30, but their respective lawyers sought and received court continuances to October 14.

Thus the men were not required to appear in court on September 30.

The scheduled October 14 appearances will mark the ninth time that their names have appeared on the court docket.

It is expected that on October 14, the companion cases will have their first “supervised pretrial conference” at which a judge would supervise discussions among the prosecutor and the defense attorneys over the resolution of the companion cases. At such sessions, possible plea agreements to a resolve a case may be discussed.

State’s Attorney Stephen J. Sedensky III is the prosecutor. Mr Stinson is represented by attorney James Diamond. Mr Costello’s lawyer is Eugene Riccio.

Both ex-police officers have pleaded not guilty to all felonies that are pending against them. Both men have elected to have jury trials.

According to 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.

Mr Stinson has been charged with 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. He has declined to comment on the case.

Mr Costello 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. Similarly, he has declined to comment on the pending case.

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

Both men resigned their police positions before they were arrested.

The Newtown Police Department has conducted an internal investigation into the disappearance of the police union funds, Police Chief Michael Kehoe said October 3. The results of that investigation have not yet been disclosed.

Arrest warrant affidavits for Mr Stinson and Mr Costello describe the police union’s learning 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.