Dardian “Danny” Celaj, 36, a convicted rapist with ties to organized crime, was captured Thursday by U.S. Marshals and is being held by Derby police, according to a press release from city police.
Celaj skipped out on his sentencing date Aug. 1 for raping a woman in Derby.
He had been free on bail at the time of his sentencing, and was allegedly outfitted with a GPS device.
According to a press release from Derby Lt. Sal Frosceno, U.S. Marshals found Celaj Thursday (Aug. 28) and gave him to Derby police for processing.
Marshals from the Connecticut Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force said Celaj was captured at a friend’s residence on Warren Avenue in Naugatuck. Marshals wouldn’t elaborate on how they caught up with him.
Celaj was captured without incident. A number of pistols and semi-automatic rifles were recovered from the residence as well. Those weapons are being examined by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
No other arrests were made.
Celaj is now being held on a $1 million cash-only bond and is scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning in Superior Court in Derby for first-degree failure to appear.
Celaj faced up to eight years behind bars for a nauseating 2012 attack on a woman who worked at the now-defunct Club Europa, a private social club that was on Main Street in Derby.
A trial on the charges started in April, but Celaj switched his plea to guilty after the victim testified.
Celaj pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault in April. He then hired a new attorney who filed documents to withdraw the guilty plea.
Celaj’s resume includes working as a thug-for-hire on behalf of the Genovese crime family in New York. He also has ties to the Albanian mob, according to prosecutors and statements made by witnesses in open court.
Click here for more information on his background.
The Valley Indy left a message with Celaj’s lawyer Thursday.
