Attorney General Seeks Recovery of Incarceration Expenses
from Former Probation Officer Richard Straub
Attorney General George Jepsen said Monday that his Office is again seeking to recover incarceration costs from the state pension of Richard Straub, a former state probation officer convicted of sexually abusing eight juveniles under his charge, and later convicted of attempted murder for hire of a state prosecutor.
Straub is serving his sentence in a Florida prison as part of a prisoner exchange compact with Florida. He began serving his 15-year sentence on the abuse convictions in 2000 and his consecutive sentence on the subsequent conviction in March, 2010. He continues to receive a monthly state pension of approximately $3,788 after taxes and deductions.
“Connecticut taxpayers should not be expected to pay for the cost of incarceration, when Mr. Straub can afford to pay for those expenses himself through his state pension,” Attorney General Jepsen said.
Connecticut’s pension revocation law does not apply in Straub’s case because it took effect on Oct. 1, 2008, after Straub’s original conviction. However, the state can still seek to attach any assets he may have, including his state pension, to help offset the cost of his incarceration.
The Attorney General said his Office is seeking a judgment in Hartford Superior Court requiring Straub to pay the state $179,816 for the expense of keeping him in prison through March 1, 2014. He has been in a Florida prison since September, 2004.
This is the second time the Attorney General has sought to attach Straub’s pension to pay for the cost of his imprisonment. The first time, Straub declared bankruptcy and the state was only legally entitled to recover only $98,000 on its $450,000 bankruptcy claim.
Straub’s bankruptcy discharged all unrecovered costs for his incarceration on the original conviction. However, Straub’s subsequent conviction on the failed murder-for-hire scheme occurred after his bankruptcy discharge, making the expenses for that sentence subject to recovery. Straub began servicing that sentence on March 7, 2010 and he is not eligible for parole before Dec. 1. 2013.
Assistant Attorney General Gary Williams is handling this matter for the Attorney General with Assistant Attorney General Sean Kehoe, head of the Collections/Child Support department.
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