‘Critical Failures’ By Bethany Leadership, Police In Sex Abuse Case: Panel

BETHANY, CT — An independent panel has concluded that First Selectman Paula Cofrancesco and the Connecticut State Police failed to take key actions following claims that a town employee had sexually abused children.

Anthony Mastrangelo, 25, is accused of abusing minor children who were enrolled in Bethany’s parks and recreation programs while he was an intern and counselor.

Mastrangelo, who no longer works for the town, was charged last June with risk of injury to a minor, fourth-degree sexual assault, first-degree sexual assault, and illegal sexual contact with a victim under 16 years old.

The town retained retired Superior Court Judge Robert Holzberg and the law firm of Pullman & Comley to conduct an independent investigation. The panel issued its findings in a lengthy report made public on May 15.

“Our review has identified a number of critical failures,” the report states.

The report concludes Cofrancesco knew the specific nature of the allegations against Mastrangelo as early as December 23, 2022, and that he was the subject of investigations by the state Department of Children and Families and state police.

“Even if her claim that she was unaware of the details of the December 2022 allegation is credited, by her own admission she knew no later than June 19, 2023—one full year before his arrests—that multiple DCF investigations had confirmed that Mastrangelo sexually abused children enrolled in Parks and Recreation Department programs,” the report states.

The panel says it is “inexplicable” that Cofrancesco failed to immediately terminate Mastrangelo’s employment in December 2022, notify the community of alleged assaults by a town employee, and initiate a comprehensive review of Parks and Recreation safety procedures and policies. The panel also faults Cofrancesco for failing to interview Mastrangelo or conduct an inquiry into the allegations against him.

Mastrangelo’s employment with the town ended in June 2023, the report shows, after the town received notice from DCF of its finding that Mastrangelo had sexually abused at least two children during his employment.

The report also faults Cofrancesco for failing to immediately inform the community of Mastrangelo’s arrests in May and June 2024 for the “alleged sexual assault of at least five children.”

According to the report, Cofrancesco “repeatedly rejected” recommendations that safety measures be adopted, such as background security checks of Parks and Recreation personnel, installation of security cameras, and staff training on identifying and reporting potential sexual abuse.

There has been public discussion about the relationship between the First Selectman and Mastrangelo, and whether or not it impacted Cofrancesco’s decision-making, the report says.

“Despite the First Selectman’s denials, a close personal relationship with Mastrangelo and his family is supported by witness interviews, social-media posts, the First Selectman’s own text messages, and the hiring of Mastrangelo by the First Selectman’s husband for his insurance company after Mastrangelo’s employment with the Town ended,” the report states.

Cofrancesco did not respond to a request for comment on the report Friday.

In a September 2024 “Bethany Bulletin” communication with town residents, which is included in the report, Cofrancesco indicated that after the December 2022 complaint, Mastrangelo was removed from all contact with minors in Parks and Recreation programs, and allowed to work for a short time in a different capacity while supervised.

According to Cofrancesco, there was not enough evidence available at the time to justify immediate termination. As for why residents weren’t notified in 2022, Cofrancesco told residents the town was legally and ethically bound not to comment on an open investigation.

The panel’s report is also critical of how long it took the Connecticut State Police to investigate and file charges. The panel’s report references five minor children.

“We conclude that probable cause for Mastrangelo’s arrest as to Victim #1 was established by mid-January 2023, and probable cause for the arrest of Mastrangelo for charges arising out of the alleged assaults of Victims #2, #3, and #4 was firmly established by the end of March 2023,” the report states.

According to the report, with the exception of brief interviews in May 2023, the police case remained in an “apparent state of suspended animation” until May 2024. At that point, an angry mother demanded “an immediate investigation and initiation of criminal proceedings arising out of Mastrangelo’s alleged assault of her daughter, Victim #5.”

“The unexplained failure of the Connecticut State Police to urgently seek arrest warrants in early 2023, combined with the First Selectman’s failure to notify the community of the investigations, likely allowed Mastrangelo to commit a fifth alleged assault of a child in the spring of 2024,” the report states.

State police sought arrest warrants and lodged charges against Mastrangelo in May and June 2024, according to the report.

“The fifteen-month delay in seeking Mastrangelo's arrests requires a full and candid explanation by the Commanding Officer of the (Connecticut State Police),” the report states.

Col. Daniel Loughman, commanding officer of the Connecticut State Police, said in a statement Friday that the agency is committed to accurate and timely investigations.

“Each investigation is unique with investigative steps that must be followed in order to assure the victims’ rights are protected, and any suspect is fully investigated and thoroughly prosecuted,” he said, in the statement.

According to Loughman, state police remained in regular and ongoing contact with the State’s Attorney’s office in New Haven during the entire case to work toward a complete and accurate investigation.

Mastrangelo has denied wrongdoing and entered “not guilty” pleas to all the charges against him. His case is pending in Superior Court in New Haven, with his next court appearance scheduled for June 18.

Read the full report HERE.