This Fairfield Fill Pile Case marked a turn of events for Bartlett, who was already serving a prison term in connection with a separate aspect of the same case.
Illegal Former Worker Pleads Guilty In The Fairfield Fill Pile Case ( Photo: Patch )
In a significant development surrounding the Fairfield Fill Pile Case, Scott Bartlett, the former public works superintendent of Fairfield, has entered a guilty plea linked to the town’s illicit dumping scandal
The Fairfield Fill Pile Case plea agreement, orchestrated with the prosecution, encompassed multiple felony charges, including running an illegal solid waste facility, conspiracy to accept waste at an unauthorized location, first-degree larceny, improper disposal of PCBs, second-degree forgery, and assorted other infractions.
Bartlett’s impending sentencing, scheduled for November, will occur before Judge Tracy Lee Dayton at Bridgeport Superior Court. The same judge had overseen his Fairfield Fill Pile Case involving the Owen Fish Pond illegal dumping segment. This time, Bartlett is set to receive a five-year prison sentence, which will be concurrent with his existing 18-month sentence related to the Owen Fish Pond charges. Despite having spent a brief period behind bars following the initial 18-month sentencing, Bartlett’s release ensued after he posted a $350,000 bond while pursuing an appeal.
Beyond the prison term, Bartlett is bound to relinquish half of his $8,900 monthly pension for two decades as restitution to the town, potentially totaling up to $1 million. The financial penalty is linked to the extensive cleanup and restoration of contaminated soil and fill, the outcomes of the Fairfield Fill Pile Case, which is anticipated to incur substantial costs for the town. Bartlett’s acknowledgment of the plea deal before Judge Dayton, with one of his children present, was characterized by his subdued, raspy voice, indicating his acceptance of the agreement’s terms.
Bartlett’s legal counsel, Fred Paoletti, accompanied him out of the courtroom post-hearing, refraining from making any statements to the pressÂ
The Fairfield Fill Pile Case’s lead prosecutor Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Tamberlyn Chapman, declined to elaborate on the plea deal. The guilty plea represented a noteworthy triumph for the prosecution. Bartlett joins Joe Michelangelo, the former director of Fairfield’s public works, as the second defendant to plead guilty in the Fairfield Fill Pile Case. Michelangelo is cooperating with the prosecution, leaving questions about Bartlett’s potential testimony against other defendants unanswered.
The Fairfield Fill Pile Case implicates additional figures, including Brian Carey, former conservation director and interim head of public works; Emmet Hibson, former human resources director Robert J. Grabarek, the town’s contracted environmental specialist Robert Mayer, ex-chief financial officer and Jason Julian, co-owner of Julian Enterprises. The latter was initially hired to manage the fill pile site, aiming to reduce surplus project materials, but the pile grew instead, accompanied by the discovery of pollutants on-site. Julian allegedly neglected rent payments to the town, prompting accusations against Bartlett and others for facilitating and concealing this negligence.
The Fairfield Fill Pile Case trial involving the five remaining defendants is slated to commence on September 11, marked by jury selection. The plea agreement underscores the complexities of the Fairfield Fill Pile Case, further underscoring that while the recent development brings some closure.Â
READ ALSO: Sam Williams Of Dallas Cowboys, Arrested On Multiple Charges After Preseason Game
