Norwalk Mayor’s Son Pleads Guilty To Stealing Drugs: Report

FAIRFIELD, CT — Former Fairfield Detective Stephen Rilling, the son of Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling, won’t serve a day in prison after reaching a plea deal on charges that he allegedly stole thousands of dollars in heroin and OxyContin pills from the department’s evidence room that were seized during police raids, according to the Connecticut Post.

Rilling, who was a 19-year veteran of the force before resigning, was arrested last May on charges of second-degree larceny, third-degree computer crime and possession of narcotics. He had faced more than 20 years in prison if convicted of the charges. Rilling pleaded not guilty last June and had sought a jury trial.

Daniel Tepfer of the Post reports Rilling instead agreed to plead guilty to several misdemeanor charges and was sentenced to a suspended one-year sentenced with three years’ probation.

The drugs were taken from the department's evidence room where a property officer believed they were being removed for legitimate law enforcement purposes, police said at the time. The alleged thefts are believed to have occurred between June 2016 and February 2017.

Fairfield Police have since changed their evidence procedures, including supervisory approval and dual signature for any follow-up conducted in the evidence room.

Read more about the sentencing at the Connecticut Post here.

File photo via the Fairfield Police Department