$50 Foreclosure Fib?
A Connecticut man facing foreclosure for owing $50 in back taxes is going to court to try to stop it and Bridgeport officials are casting doubt on his hard-luck story. A spokeswoman for Mayor Bill Finch says Jean Castro has a history of running up tax bills and not paying until he faces foreclosure. A judge has ordered Castro's home to be sold so the city can recoup back taxes and legal costs. Castro owed more than $3,500 in taxes when the foreclosure proceedings began. He said his mortgage company paid all but $51.69 of the bill, but the city's lawyer says it was too late because it had racked up more than $3,000 in legal costs. Castro paid $70 Tuesday to reopen the foreclosure case.
Teacher Cruelty Charges Dropped
Connecticut authorities have decided against prosecuting cruelty charges filed against a teacher in the Fairfield school system. Elizabeth Valeriay, 55, of Madison had been accused of punishing a 6-year-old autistic student by making the girl sit naked from the waist up in a classroom last fall. Valeriay's lawyer said a nolle was entered by the prosecutor on June 4. That means the state has decided not to prosecute the matter, but retains the right to reopen the case for 13 months. Valeriay, who was a teacher at Dwight Elementary School for 13 years, no longer works for the school system.
Man Does Time For Robbery Spree
Local
A New Haven man has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison for a series of armed bank robberies in Connecticut. Joseph Parson, 30, was sentenced Tuesday for holdups at banks in Branford, North Branford and Stratford. Parson was given nearly 19 years for the robberies and an extra year for violating terms of supervised release. Officials said Parson also has pleaded guilty in state court to taking part in a bank robbery in Prospect on Aug. 7, 2008. A federal prosecutor says Parson and an accomplice took more than $60,000 during three holdups.
