ANSONIA – A public works employee was ordered by the court to pay back $21,170 to an elderly city resident in order to resolve a court case.

Harry Danley, 56, has two years to pay the money back as part of an accelerated rehabilitation deal, according to court documents.

Danley was charged last year with first-degree larceny after police said he stole more than $25,000 from an elderly resident over five years. In interviews with The Valley Indy, Danley acknowledged receiving the money but said it was a series of loans he intended to pay back.

Danley was ordered to pay the money back by June 5, 2028, and to have no contact with the family of the victim. If he does so and doesn’t get arrested again in that timeframe, his charge will be dismissed. His court case is sealed in the meantime.

Laura da Fonte, one of the victim’s daughters, said she and her family objected to the deal, which was made official during a hearing June 9. She said she had spoken with other residents who claimed they had been asked for large sums of money by Danley.

“This guy’s not going to stop. Accelerated rehab isn’t going to help this guy, This is his livelihood of taking advantage of people,” da Fonte said.

The Valley Indy called two numbers connected to Danley for comment but did not hear back.

Da Fonte said Danley has paid the court $18,000 out of the $21,870 he owes. 

Background

When Danley was arrested last year, police alleged he convinced da Fonte’s mother to write him ten checks between 2022 and 2025. Danley allegedly described the payments as loans to improve a home he hoped to sell.

The woman, who is now 87 years old, was diagnosed with mild dementia last year, according to court documents.

Danley acknowledged in subsequent Valley Indy interviews that he borrowed money and missed deadlines to pay the money back. However, he said the payments were done transparently, and that he still intended to pay.

He was assigned a public defender in December of last year. In February, the Connecticut Post reported that Danley would receive a plea offer in the case.

Danley ran for mayor as a petitioning candidate in 2023. He also ran for Second Ward Alderman as a petitioning candidate last year. Both campaigns were unsuccessful.