Former Connecticut State Trooper Who Improperly Accessed Government Computer is Sentenced

Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PAUL GALIETTI, 41, of Southbury, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven for improperly accessing a government computer. On October 9, 2008, GALIETTI, a former Connecticut State Trooper, admitted that he intentionally accessed a government computer in a manner that exceeded his lawful authority. Today, Judge Burns ordered GALIETTI to pay a fine in the amount of $1000.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, this matter stems from a long-term investigation into the waste-hauling industry in Connecticut and eastern New York. On September 9, 2004, Richard Galietti, who at the time was the sales manager for Automated Waste Disposal (“AWD”) and related companies, was intercepted speaking with PAUL GALIETTI, his cousin. During the call, PAUL GALIETTI thanked Richard Galietti for a dumpster. Also during the conversation, Richard Galietti asked PAUL GALIETTI to conduct a registration check on a Connecticut license plate. Approximately three minutes later, PAUL GALIETTI informed Richard Galietti that the registration he requested belonged to an individual who was later determined to be associated with a small garbage company that had just started in the Danbury area. During this conversation, PAUL GALIETTI told Richard Galietti to “[n]ever tell anybody I did that for you because you’ll get me fired. It’s a serious thing now. Okay?”

When Richard Galietti replied that he thought his brother (a sheriff in Florida) had almost been fired because of that, PAUL GALIETTI responded, “Yeah no, really, the federal government pinches you now. That’s now a real...serious thing.”

An off-line audit of the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system conducted by Connecticut State Troopers assigned to this case has revealed that there was a query of this license palate through Connecticut State Police, Troop G. At the time of this request, PAUL GALIETTI was assigned to Troop G. The request occurred on September 9, 2004, at 3:33 p.m., less than a minute after Richard Galietti was intercepted asking PAUL GALIETTI to conduct the registration check.

Later, case agents examining seized documents from AWD and other companies discovered that PAUL GALIETTI received a free dumpster from AWD-affiliated Diversified Waste Disposal, for his home. The investigation also revealed that on several occasions, PAUL GALIETTI accepted free tickets to sporting events from Richard Galietti, including tickets to New York Giants football games.

As a condition of his guilty plea, PAUL GALIETTI has agreed not to seek any future employment in the field of law enforcement.

All 33 individuals charged with various offenses as a result of this investigation have pleaded guilty.

Richard Galietti pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), and one count of making a false statement to a federal law enforcement officer. On July 29, 2008, he was sentenced to 46 months of imprisonment.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, and the Connecticut State Police. The United States Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Office of Professional Responsibility, and the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the Ansonia, Milford and New Haven police departments have provided critical assistance in the Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Gustafson, Raymond F. Miller and Henry K. Kopel are prosecuting this case.