Man Gets More Than 3 Years in Prison for Connecticut Jewel Theft

Deirdre M. Daly, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut on Tuesday, announced that Jason Gatto, 34, of Gardiner, NY, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to 40 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for burglarizing a Connecticut residence and stealing approximately $2.5 million in jewelry.

According to court documents and statements made in court, GATTO was a member of a group of friends who referred to themselves as the “Jedi Knights.” The group members committed hundreds of residential burglaries in Connecticut and other states along the eastern seaboard, stealing money, jewelry and firearms, Daly said.

In February 2012, GATTO and Michael Simpson of Montgomery, NY, burglarized a residence in Salisbury, and stole approximately 250 pieces of jewelry valued at more than $2.5 million, Daly said.

Believing that many of the stolen pieces were not valuable, Gatto discarded them from his car window as he and Simpson drove from the scene, Daly said. Later, Simpson showed some of the remaining stolen jewelry to his girlfriend, Martha Dahl, who identified the items as being valuable, Daly said.

Gatto, Simpson and Dahl then traveled with the jewelry to North Carolina and, on the way, they contacted Miguel Mead and bought him an airline ticket, which he used to immediately fly to North Carolina, Daly said.

In North Carolina, the jewelry was distributed among the group to sell, Daly said.

Members of the group then sold pieces of the stolen jewelry to businesses in North Carolina, California, and elsewhere. she said.

After the burglary, the Connecticut State Police recovered some of the stolen jewelry along the side of Route 41 in Salisbury, Daly said.

Judge Meyer ordered Gatto to pay $1.5 million in restitution, Daly said.

Gatto was arrested on Jan. 6, Daly said. On March 7, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport stolen property, she said.

Simpson, Dahl and Mead also pleaded guilty, she said. On Feb. 16, Mead, of Schenectady, NY, was sentenced to 41 months of imprisonment, she said. Simpson and Dahl await sentencing, Daly said.