A judicial marshal arrested last year on charges pertaining to prostitution was fired last week and charged days later with possession of child pornography.
Michael Connelly, 53, of Waterbury, was arrested Thursday on state charges of third-degree possession of child pornography as part of an undercover operation, according to police.
He was also charged with third-degree prostitution in December and has pleaded not guilty.
According to a letter from Joseph D'Alesio, executive director of operations for the Connecticut superior court system, Connelly was placed on unpaid administrative leave in November when police began investigating his conduct.
D'Alesio said in the letter that Connelly failed to show up for three meetings arranged during the investigation, in violation of the Judicial Marshal Services ethics and conduct policies.
He was terminated Jan. 22.
Connelly, who worked in the Waterbury courthouse for 30 years, is the brother of the late Waterbury State’s Attorney John Connelly – a man who successfully prosecuted cases against four of the men on death row.
Local
State police said troopers have been conducting interviews, gathering physical evidence and submitted an arrest warrant application to Superior Court to arrest Michael Connelly on child pornography charges. It was granted today.
At 1:30 p.m., he surrendered to State Police at Troop A, where he was processed and released on a $20,000 court-set bond.
He is due in Waterbury court on Feb. 4.
