Plea Entered By Former Enfield Non-Profit Director

ENFIELD, CT — The former director of the Enfield Community Development Corporation (ECDC) waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty Friday in New Haven federal court to a conspiracy offense related to his theft of government funds.

Darrin LaMore, 47, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and theft from a program receiving federal funds, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years., according to John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

According to court documents and statements made in court, LaMore was the executive director of the ECDC, a non-profit corporation that oversees economic development projects in Enfield, primarily in the Thompsonville section of the town. The ECDC is supported with federal funds administered by the state of Connecticut, Durham said.

From June 2012 to Oct. 2015, LaMore conspired with an employee of the town of Enfield to take funds intended for economic development in Enfield and apply them to LaMore’s salary. To hide their fraudulent activity and to maintain funding for the ECDC, the conspirators repeatedly falsified the books and records of the ECDC, Durham said.

Through this scheme, LaMore stole more than $95,000 from the ECDC, according to Durham.

As part of his guilty plea, LaMore has agreed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation, which has involved a number of agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Enfield Police Department, Durham said.

LaMore was arrested on a criminal complaint on Feb. 16, 2018, and has since been free on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing.

Photo credit: Tim Jensen