by Donald Eng
BETHEL, CT — A state representative charged with larceny from a Target store in June has been temporarily stripped of his committee assignments after being granted accelerated rehabilitation from a state judge.
State Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan, D-Bethel, announced Monday that he would pay $54 restitution to Target as part of his program.
Accelerated rehabilitation is a pretrial program for people charged with certain minor crimes and motor vehicle violations that the state believes are unlikely to commit more crimes in the future. If the court grants accelerated rehabilitation, the court can set conditions the defendant must follow. If the defendant follows the court’s conditions and completes the program, the court later dismisses the charges.
“The past few months have been difficult and I know I’ve let people down. I carry that heavily, but I’ve also been reminded of the importance of humility, accountability, and service,” Allie-Brennan said in a statement Monday. “My focus now is on earning back trust and continuing the work I love, serving the people of Bethel and Danbury.”
Allie-Brennan, the House’s chief majority whip, was arrested by Bethel police June 23 and charged with sixth-degree larceny, a misdemeanor. He is accused of leaving the store without paying for two items worth a total of $26.69. On July 28, he voluntarily surrendered to police on an additional sixth-degree larceny charge. Details are limited for both arrests since the cases were sealed pending Allie-Brennan’s application for the diversionary program.
House Speaker Matthew Ritter, D-Hartford, removed Allie-Brennan from the General Law, Energy and Technology and Insurance and Real Estate committees for three weeks after learning of the outcome of the court case Monday.
The legislature is not currently in session and there are no scheduled meetings for those committees in the next three weeks.