A former Hartford police detective who resigned from the department in January pleaded guilty to embezzling gun permit application funds, according to United States Attorney Deirdre M. Daly.
Tishay Johnson, 40, of Windsor, stole about $29,427 in gun permit fees between October 2009 and January 2014 from the Hartford Police Department while administering the concealed weapons permit program there, Daly said.
In Hartford, residents who want to carry a concealed weapon must apply for permission through the police department.
Johnson admitted to allegations that he altered checks and money orders and forged signatures to give the illusion that applicants endorsed making the funds payable to him, the release stated. He funneled the money into his personal account, Daly said.
The application includes a $70 processing fee that goes to the city of Hartford and a $66.50 background check fees made payable to the state of Connecticut. As the program administrator, Johnson collected those fees and was responsible for depositing the money into designated city and state bank accounts.
Johnson pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez to a charge of "theft from a local government receiving federal funds," Daly said. He agreed to pay about $17,443 in restitution to the city and $11,984 to the state.
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On Aug. 4, U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny is scheduled to sentence him. Until then, he has been released on a $150,000 bond. Johnson faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and could be fined up to $250,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Hartford Police Department handled the investigation.
