2nd Fairfield Fill Pile Defendant Reportedly Rejects Plea Deal

BRIDGEPORT, CT — Scott Bartlett, Fairfield's former Public Works Superintendent, became the second defendant this week to turn down a plea deal in the ongoing fill pile illegal dumping case, reported the Connecticut Post.

Bartlett, one of a half-dozen defendants in the case, was offered a plea deal of 15 years in prison, which would be suspended after serving eight years, but he will now go to trial in the case. He and his attorney, Frederick Paoletti Jr., rejected the deal during a hearing Thursday before Bridgeport Superior Court Judge Kevin Russo.

On Monday, Brian Carey, Fairfield's former interim Public Works Director, also rejected a plea deal, and will go to trial.

The two face charges of conspiracy, illegal disposal of solid waste, and receiving solid waste without a permit.

Jury selection for the trial is set to begin next week, which will concentrate on accusations of illegal dumping of contaminated material from Fairfield's Owen Fish Pond; that material was then used illegally in the creation of a berm in town.

Joe Michelangelo, Fairfield's former Public Works Director, was set to be the third defendant in the Owen Fish Pond trial, but he pleaded guilty and is expected to testify against Bartlett and Carey.

Other defendants in the fill pile case are:

• Former Fairfield human resources director Emmet Hibson
• Robert J. Grabarek, an environmental contractor hired by the town
• Former Fairfield chief financial officer Robert Mayer
• Jason Julian, co-owner of Julian Enterprises

Mayer was recently arrested a second time in the case.

Bartlett, Carey, Hibson, Grabarek, Mayer and Julian have all pleaded not guilty.

Read the Connecticut Post story.