DNA from a belt used to bind a Shelton man’s hands during a home invasion led police to the Bridgeport man accused of committing the crime.
The detail comes from an arrest warrant for 23-year-old Francisco Colon-Cotto, who was charged by Shelton police Aug. 3 with home invasion, conspiracy to commit home invasion, first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, second-degree unlawful restraint, and conspiracy to commit unlawful restraint.
Police said more arrests are expected in the case, in which Colon-Cotto and another man allegedly robbed a Quaker Ridge Road home in January of valuables after threatening the man who lived there with a screwdriver.
The investigation took an unusual turn when the homeowner was charged with growing marijuana. Police said they’re still piecing together the details.
“The investigation is still ongoing, however at this point we don’t have anything concrete that the residence was targeted,” Detective Christopher Nugent said in an email.
Colon-Cotto was arraigned Aug. 4 at Superior Court in Derby, where Judge Peter Brown ordered him held on a $150,000 bond.
The arrest warrant says police were called to the Quaker Ridge Road home about 10:30 a.m. Jan. 8, where a man living there said he had been in bed and was woken up by the sound of a car engine in his driveway.
At first he thought it was his wife and son, but he got no answer when he called out to them.
Two masked men then came into his bedroom and demanded cash, threatening him with a screwdriver but promising not to hurt him if he didn’t resist.
The homeowner told them he only had 50 bucks in his wallet.
They tied his hands behind his back using a belt from his bedroom and rummaged through the house, taking jewelry and a Waterford crystal bowl.
The man was not injured. He said the robbers sped away in a gray Honda Accord.
Article continues after photo from the scene.
Shelton police sent the belt used to tie the man’s hands to the state police forensic lab.
In April, they were notified that DNA from the belt was traced to Colon-Cotto, whose DNA was on file because he had a prior felony conviction.
Shelton Detectives Lubelia Debrum and Christopher Nugent obtained a search warrant to take a “confirmatory” DNA sample from Colon-Cotto.
The state police lab confirmed Colon-Cotto’s DNA was on the belt, and also said his DNA was found on the handle of the screwdriver.
Colon-Cotto is due back in Derby court Aug. 22, at which point the case will likely be transferred to Superior Court in Milford, which handles more serious crimes.
Police also charged the victim of the home invasion with operating a marijuana growing operation out of the home after they smelled pot while sweeping the residence for suspects.
The homeowner denied the allegations in an interview with the Valley Indy, and is due in court next month.
