Head Of Public Works In Court For Fairfield Forgery, Dumping Case

FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfield's public works director was arraigned Thursday on charges related to a criminal investigation of contamination at the town public works yard.

Director of Public Works Joe Michelangelo, Superintendent of Public Works Scott Bartlett and Julian Companies Owner Jason Julian were arrested earlier in the week and are accused of crimes including larceny, forgery and dumping.

Michelangelo did not enter a plea during his court appearance, according to attorney Eugene Riccio, who is representing Michelangelo. The case was continued to Sept. 18, Riccio said, and Michelangelo remains free on a promise to appear at his next court date. Riccio declined to comment further on the case.

Michelangelo is charged with forgery, illegal dumping, illegal discharge and handling waste without a permit, according to court records. During a July 8 arbitration hearing, he discussed taking pavers from and intended for the public works yard and using them to install a sidewalk and driveway at his own home, according to a legal transcript obtained by Patch under the Freedom of Information Act. It was announced Tuesday that Michelangelo had been placed on leave.

Bartlett, who is also on leave, is charged with forgery, larceny, taking kickbacks, illegal dumping, illegal discharge and handling waste without a permit, court records state. Julian is charged with forgery, larceny, paying a kickback, illegal dumping, illegal discharge and handling waste without a permit.

Both Bartlett and Julian were arraigned Wednesday, and their cases were also continued to Sept. 18. Michelangelo was set for an arraignment Wednesday as well, but he was not present at the courthouse in Bridgeport. Court officials said his absence Wednesday was the result of a misunderstanding, and his arraignment was rescheduled.

The majority of the crimes with which the three men are charged are alleged to have occurred between 2013 and 2016, according to court records, when Julian Development was under contract with Fairfield to operate the public works yard on Richard White Way.

The town hired Julian to run the yard and reduce the size of a pile of leftover project material on the property from 40,000 cubic yards. Over the course of the contract, the pile more than doubled in size, and days before the contract was set to end, contamination was discovered on the property.

After town conservation officials said the transportation and dumping of contaminated material could have violated state or federal law, police opened an investigation. In addition to the criminal case, Fairfield has sued Julian for about $3 million in costs associated with the yard and Julian has sued the town for defamation.