Jail Time, Restitution—

Former Policemen Slated

For Sentencing In Theft Case

By Andrew Gorosko

On May 2, two former Newtown police officers, who had been considered exemplars by their peers, will face a judge in Danbury Superior Court and be sentenced to jail time, restitution, and probation for their admitted conspiratorial theft of nearly $200,000 in funds from the Newtown Police Union while they had served as union officers.

In February, in individual plea agreements in their companion cases, Andrew Stinson, 35, of Watertown, and Domenic Costello, 34, of Stratford each pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree larceny, which is a felony.

In March 2011, Stinson was charged with six felonies, and Costello was charged with five felonies. Because the two men each agreed to plead guilty to one count of first-degree larceny, they will not be prosecuted on the other charges. Both men initially had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Under the terms of their plea agreements, each man would serve a six-month jail sentence that would be followed by three years of probation.

Also, before the May 2 sentencings, each man is required to make full restitution of the funds that they stole from the police union. According to court documents, Stinson stole $95,667, and Costello stole $95,392.

Because both men will be convicted felons, they must provide biological samples to serve as forensic reference material for the state’s genetic database, which is used in criminal investigations.

Since their arrests, both men have been free on written promises to appear in court.

Pre-sentence investigations have been conducted on both defendants. Because they have entered plea agreements, their lawyers will not be allowed to argue for lesser sentences.

After they are each sentenced to serve six months’ jail time, the actual amount of time that they serve will be determined by the state Department of Correction.

Under the plea agreements, the men would be given ten-year prison sentences, which would be suspended after they serve six months of jail time. If they should violate the terms of their three-year probations following their incarceration, they potentially could be reimprisoned to serve the balance of their ten-year prison terms.

Police Chief Michael Kehoe this week had no comment regarding the two former police officers’ planned sentencings. Newtown Police Union President Scott Ruszczyk also declined to comment on the case.

In March 2011, Stinson was 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.

Stinson, an ex-patrol officer and police dog handler, formerly was the police union’s president.

Costello was 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.

Costello, an ex-sergeant, formerly served as the police union’s treasurer. He also conducted the police department’s Citizen Police Academy informational course for the public. Also, Costello holds a law degree.

Arrest warrant affidavits in the two cases describe the police union’s October 2010 discovery that its financial accounts were thoroughly depleted due to illegitimate withdrawals by Stinson and Costello.

Both police officers were put on paid administrative leave in October 2010 after the police union learned of the missing money.

During a police investigation, the two men explained that they had “borrowed” money from union accounts to cover personal expenses and that they 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 legal papers.

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

Both men resigned their police positions before they were arrested.

Chief Kehoe has yet to publicly disclose the results of a police department internal investigation into Stinson’s and Costello’s theft of police union funds. The police chief has said he is awaiting the court’s disposition of the criminal case before disclosing the results of internal investigation.