A former East Haven police officer accused of being part of a conspiracy to harass Latinos has been sentenced to two years in prison on an obstruction charge.
Jason Zullo was sentenced Monday afternoon in federal court in Hartford. Prosecutors had sought a two-year prison sentence, while Zullo's lawyer asked a judge for no more than a year.
"I was wrong," Zullo told the judge in court. "Pleading guilty was the right thing to do."
Zullo and three other East Haven officers were charged last year with abusing and harassing Hispanics in East Haven. Zullo entered a deal, pleading guilty to obstruction by falsifying a police report about his cruiser striking a motorcycle.
His lawyer, Norm Pattis argued that because the victim in that case was Italian American, the court should not consider the conspiracy in passing sentence.
Prosecutors argued it was all part of the same case.
