by Thomas Breen and Paul Bass
State police are investigating a city police officer for allegedly punching a woman while she was in handcuffs.
The city’s police department is also investigating a patrol supervisor for allegedly having sex while on duty on New Year’s Day.
Acting Police Chief David Zannelli confirmed in a Friday interview that city police officer Evan Kelly was placed on paid administrative leave Thursday.
Zannelli said that there has been an open Internal Affairs (IA) investigation into Kelly that dates back several months in regards to his alleged punching of a woman in handcuffs while out on a call for service in October.
After continued conversations with the state’s attorney’s office on this matter, Zannelli said, the state police have now opened an investigation into Kelly. The opening of that state police investigation Thursday led the city’s police department to put Kelly on paid administrative leave.
“This investigation was assigned to CDMC [Central District Major Crime Squad] yesterday evening by request of the New Haven State’s Attorney,” state police spokesperson Trooper First Class Pedro A. Muñiz told the Independent on Friday when asked about Kelly. “Investigative details are not available as this is an active and ongoing investigation.”
Meanwhile, in a separate case, Zannelli confirmed that Sgt. Javier Montalvo is also on paid administrative leave pending the conclusion of a separate internal investigation.
The incident occurred on Jan. 1. An initial report in the police CAD (computer-aided dispatch) system stated that while on duty, Montalvo was “having intercourse” with a woman at her home. The woman’s son “walked in” to discover the act. The son called the police to report the incident. “The officer slammed the door on the callers [sic] finger and left,” the report states.
Zannelli was asked if the sex was consensual.
“We don’t know for sure because the investigation just started. We have nothing to believe it’s anything criminal at this point. There are certainly concerns about misconduct on duty,” Zannelli told the Independent earlier this month.
In a separate interview, the woman involved said Montalvo “wasn’t doing nothing wrong. He was helping me with something going on with my son … That’s why he was over here.”
Montalvo was the subject of a separate 2025 internal investigation into allegations that he mishandled a report of a protective-order violation, acted with bias, and failed to properly document evidence. Both IA and the Civilian Review board found no grounds for discipline.
A representative from the police union did not respond to requests for comment about both of these cases by publication time of this article.