The Feds again come to rescue Corrupticut…. And again Ct taxpayers are the victims…

 

Ex-State Highway Engineer Pleads Guilty To Taking Corrupt Payments By EDMUND H. MAHONY | Courant Staff Writer , July 8, 2008

 

A former state highway engineer pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to taking corrupt payments from an employee of a private construction company involved in the disastrous $50 million improvement project on I-84, according to knowledgeable sources and court records.

Christopher Gallucci pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in New Haven to conspiring to solicit and receive corrupt payments and failing to declare money, gifts, hotel accommodations and other benefits as income, the U.S. attorney's office said Monday.

Nothing emerged in court Monday tying Gallucci to the failed I-84 project in Waterbury and Cheshire. But more than a year ago, the federal grand jury, which began probing the I-84 work before expanding to other state highway projects, subpoenaed business e-mail accounts used by Gallucci and 10 other employees of the state Department of Transportation.

Gallucci pleaded guilty Monday after federal prosecutors filed a document in court accusing him and unidentified others of conspiring between 1997 and 2007 to take things of value in return for   providing favorable treatment to a company doing business with   the state DOT. Federal prosecutors did not identify the company, but other knowledgeable sources said it is the now defunct L.G. DeFelice construction company of New Haven.  DeFelice won the state contact to improve I-84 before ceasing business for what it said were financial reasons following the 2005 construction season. The company also had at least one contract associated with replacement of the highway bridge that carries I-95 over the Quinnipiac River in New Haven.

Gallucci could not be reached for comment Monday. An attorney representing DeFelice said late Monday that he and his clients were   stunned   by the guilty plea.  We are completely surprised by this and we are not in a position to comment, attorney Ray Garcia said.

The I-84 problems range from bad surveys to shoddy workmanship. Bridges were built incorrectly, an access ramp was mislocated, light poles were poorly welded, guardrails were insufficiently anchored, the concrete median barrier is flaking and the drainage system is largely inoperable. The state has hired a contractor to resolve the problems and complete the improvement project.

There is nothing in the materials filed in court by prosecutors Monday that implicates DeFelice as a business entity in crimes. Although Gallucci and the others are accused of providing benefits to the company, they are accused elsewhere in the document filed by prosecutors of taking   things of value, to include trips, cash, and a risk-free business opportunity   from an unidentified   officer   of the company.

According to the document, the benefits Gallucci and the unnamed others are accused of providing to DeFelice include, but are not limited to,   facilitating payments to the contractor and willfully and knowingly allowing the contractor to benefit from a favorable lease arrangement to the detriment of the DOT. 

The U.S. attorney's office said Monday that Gallucci, in a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, admitted receiving $29,512.28 in bribes and failing to pay taxes on that amount.

Among other things, the prosecutors said that between October 1997 and October 2003, Gallucci and   others   were   silent members of a business with officers of a company doing business   with the DOT.

The knowledgeable sources said the business was the Hard Hat Cafe in North Haven, a bar and restaurant operated by as many as nine DeFelice employees.

Records on file with the state liquor commission show that the Hard Hat Cafe was sold in October 2003. State liquor regulators have on file a copy of the bill of sale signed by Biagio Fronte, who has been identified in state DOT records as a DeFelice general superintendent.

Federal prosecutors, according to the document filed in court Monday, said Gallucci's involvement in the business was concealed and that he profited from it while bearing no financial risk. The prosecutors said Gallucci received an $8,000 pay-out at the time of the sale of the bar.

Under his plea agreement with federal prosecutors, Gallucci faces from 24 to 30 months in prison when he appears before U.S. District Judge Mark Kravitz for sentencing on Sept. 26.

Contact Edmund H. Mahony at emahony@courant.com.

 

 

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