The Ansonia public works employee accused of stealing a city plow has been accepted into a special probation program that will see his larceny charge erased in one year.
James Hooker, 50, will have to pay Ansonia $124 for the plow and do 25 hours of community service as part of the accelerated rehabilitation program approved by Judge Burton Kaplan Tuesday at Superior Court in Derby.
Hooker was accused of taking an old plow attachment from the city’s public works yard and scrapping it for cash.
Hooker was charged on April 4 with a single count of sixth-degree larceny. The Board of Public Works suspended Hooker for 30 days without pay after the accusations surfaced.
Hooker’s attorney, Clifford Hoyle, spoke on Hooker’s behalf during a court hearing Tuesday, saying the plow theft was a misunderstanding.
“I am convinced he never thought he was stealing anything,” Hoyle said in court Tuesday. “He’s never been in any trouble. I can guarantee you, your honor, he’ll never be in front of the court again.”
Hoyle and Hooker both declined to comment after the court hearing.
Five or six people wrote letters on Hooker’s behalf, asking Judge Kaplan to grant him the accelerated rehabilitation program. Hoyle said he could have easily got 50 letters of recommendation for Hooker, who is “one of the most hardworking people I have met in my entire life.”
However, the Board of Public Works objected to the application — without giving any reasons.
Fran Teodosio, the board’s attorney, attended the hearing to indicate the board opposed special probation.
Teodosio would not comment on why the board objected.
The board discussed the application during an executive session meeting in May. Executive sessions are closed-door meetings allowed in certain situations, such as when discussing personnel issues or contract negotiations.
Board members would not comment on the reason for their objection.
“That’s a personnel issue that we’re not allowed to discuss,” said board member Richard McGowan.
Details
The Department of Public Works reported the plow missing to the Ansonia Police Department on March 16.
Detectives interviewed Hooker, who admitted taking the plow, according to an arrest warrant used to charge him.
When asked way, Hooker told police “it was scrap metal and that the city was going to get rid of it anyway so he was doing the city a ‘favor’ by taking it to the scrap yard,” according to the warrant.
Click here to read a past story detailing the arrest warrant.
Hooker told police that other employees take scrap metal from the complex often, and the supervisors were aware of the practice, according to the warrant. Supervisors denied giving permission to employees to take the scrap metal.
Other workers interviewed by police said there was no policy on taking scrap metal and employees were never told they can’t take the scrap metal from the yard.
