A Bridgeport police sergeant who claimed state troopers "kidnapped" his 3-year-old grandson in a misguided effort to resolve a custody dispute has been arrested the week after he was placed on leave from the department.
The Connecticut Post reports that troopers seized the boy from a Bridgeport home earlier this month and returned him to his mother, based on court orders from her home state of Georgia by a Cobb County judge.
Troopers first raided Sgt. John Devone Bridgeport home before finding the boy at another location.
Devone then sent letters to the governors of Connecticut and Georgia questioning the actions of state police and a Georgia judge.
He claims Georgia's child custody orders were based on lies told by the boy's mother.
State police said they acted appropriately.
The Post reports that Sgt. Devone also filed a lawsuit in federal court against the grandson’s mother.
“Sgt. John Devone has been placed effective immediately on administrative leave pending charges. An internal investigation was begun immediately. I have also referred the matter to the Office of Internal Affairs for an independent investigation,” Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch said in a statement. “However, as the investigation is still underway, formal charges have not yet been made. The Police department is taking proactive measures to deal with this issue because this is of such high importance to the community and its trust in the department.”
Devone's son, John Devone, was charged with custodial interference and faces possible extradition to Georgia.
Sgt. John Devone has been charged with interfering with an officer and custodial interference in the second degree. He turned himself in to state police on Monday and was released on a written promise to appear. He is next due in court on April 4.
