Carey & Hibson Granted Probation In Fairfield Fill Pile Case

FAIRFIELD, CT — Two of the defendants in the sprawling Fairfield fill pile case have been granted accelerated rehabilitation in their second request to be placed in the special probation program, the Connecticut Post reported.

Brian Carey, the town's interim public works director, and Emmet Hibson, the town's former human resources director, were granted the program by Superior Court Judge Tracy Lee Dayton, despite the objections of town and state officials.

The two had been denied the program when they requested it in 2022. The two faced charges of illegal disposal of PCBs and conspiracy in connection with the construction of the fill pile berm.

Fairfield First Selectman Bill Gerber, who wrote to the court seeking denial of Carey's and Hibson's request, had urged residents to write victim impact statements in the case.

Under the accelerated rehabilitation program, the two must avoid committing any crimes for two years, and then their charges will be dismissed. Carey was found not guilty last year in another aspect of the case.

Dayton reportedly found that neither defendant was responsible for dumping the contaminated material at the town site, but as part of her ruling, she ordered the two to each perform 240 hours of community service.

Additionally, the two will also have to pay restitution to the town; the amount of those payments will be decided during a hearing later this month.

Last month, developer Jason Julian, who pleaded guilty, was given additional time to come up with a $1.5 million restitution payment to the town.

Other defendants in the case who have pleaded guilty are:

• Former DPW superintendent Scott Bartlett, who was sentenced to prison in one portion of the case, and also pleaded guilty to other charges.
• Former DPW director Joe Michelangelo pleaded guilty to several charges in the case, but has not yet been sentenced.
• Former town CFO Robert Mayer pleaded guilty in October.

Read the Connecticut Post story.