November 10, 2011 Minutes

OFFICE OF GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTABILITY

BOARD OF FIREARMS PERMIT EXAMINERS

Thursday, 12:00pm at

DESPP, 111 Country Club Rd., Middletown, CT 06457

Call to Order

Chairman Joseph T. Corradino, Esq. called the meeting to order at 12:00pm.

Corradino called the roll call, 10 appellants were present, 5 appellants were absent, the State Issuing Authority and 6 local Issuing Authorities were present, and a representative from Madison Police Department was absent.

Corradino read the Introductory Statement and administered the oath to all witnesses.

Board Members Present: Mr. Arthur Carr, Chairman Joseph T. Corradino, Esq., Chief T. William Knapp (Ret.), Mr. M. Peter Kuck, Colonel Kyle E. Overturf and Mr. Kenneth V. Tramadeo.

Board Members Absent: none, one vacancy

Cases scheduled for hearings:

1) Case No. 11-161-R, Lawrence Palaia, involving the revocation of his pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. Attorney Auden Grogins represented the appellant.  Sgt. Seth Mancini represented the State Issuing Authority, Commissioner Reuben F. Bradford, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection with two witnesses.

Decision: By a majority, the Board members voted to overturn the decision of the State Issuing Authority, Commissioner Reuben F. Bradford, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and voted for Mr. Palaia to be reinstated his pistol permit. Carr, Knapp, Kuck, Overturf and Tramadeo voted for the appellant. Corradino voted for the Issuing Authority at this time.

2) Case No. 11-145-D, Stuart Lerner, involving the denial of a pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. The appellant appeared on his own behalf. Officer Liam Roy represented the local Issuing Authority, Chief John C. Drumm, Madison Police Department.

  

Motion: Chairman Corradino made a motion for the appellant, by default, due to the local Issuing Authority failing to provide the written statement as to why the appellant was denied, 10 days prior to the hearing in accordance with C.G.S. 29-32b(c). Motion carried.

3) Case No. 11-64-D, Roberto Clemente, involving the denial of a pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. Attorney Frank C. Bartlett represented the appellant.  The local Issuing Authority was represented by Chief Jeffrey W. Cossette, Meriden Police Department.

Withdrawal: Det. Sgt. Steve Burstein, representing the local Issuing Authority, and Attorney Frank C. Bartlett, representing the appellant, notified the Board prior to the hearing that the local Issuing Authority, Chief Jeffrey W. Cossette, Meriden Police Department issued a permit and that Mr. Clemente withdrew his appeal.

4) Case No. 10-342-D, Eric Pearson, involving the denial of a pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. The appellant appeared on his own behalf. Officer Daniel M. Janco represented the local Issuing Authority, First Selectman Dan Jerram, Town of New Hartford.

Agreement: The appellant, Mr. Pearson and the local Issuing Authority Officer Janco agreed to the following; the appellant would withdraw his appeal, the appellant would reapply with correct information within 30 days, the local Issuing Authority would issue a permit within 30 days upon receipt of the application and if the appellant is denied, the Board agreed to place Mr. Pearson back on the Board’s schedule in February 2012.

5) Case No. 10-343-R, Joseph Melaas, involving the revocation of his pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. Attorney William L. Stevens represented the appellant. Sgt. Paolo D’Alessandro represented the State Issuing Authority, Commissioner Reuben F. Bradford, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection with two witnesses.

Decision: By a unanimous decision, the Board members voted to uphold the decision of the State Issuing Authority, Commissioner Reuben F. Bradford, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the revocation of the appellant’s pistol permit, at this time.

6) Case No. 11-06-R, Engel Ramos, involving the revocation of his pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. The appellant appeared on his own behalf. Sgt. Seth Mancini represented the State Issuing Authority, Commissioner Reuben F. Bradford, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection with one witness.

Decision: By a majority, the Board members voted to uphold the decision of the State Issuing Authority, Commissioner Reuben F. Bradford, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the revocation of Mr. Ramos pistol permit at this time. Carr, Corradino, Knapp and Overturf voted for the Issuing Authority. Kuck and Tramadeo voted for the appellant.

7) Case No. 10-204-D, Joseph Carollo, involving the denial of a pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. The appellant failed to appear. Chief Thomas Sweeney, Glastonbury Police Department, represented the local Issuing Authority.

Decision: By a unanimous decision, the Board voted to uphold the decision of the local Issuing Authority, by default, due to the appellant’s failure to appear.

8) Case No. 11-135-D. Oleg Germanovych, involving the denial of a pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. The appellant appeared on his own behalf. Chief Thomas Sweeney, Glastonbury Police Department, represented the local Issuing Authority.

Decision: By a unanimous decision, the Board voted to overturn the decision of the local Issuing Authority and for the appellant, Mr. Germanovych, to be issued a temporary pistol permit. 

9) Case No. 11-295-D, Irene Mullock, involving the denial of a pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. The appellant appeared on her own behalf. Chief Thomas Sweeney, Glastonbury Police Department, represented the local Issuing Authority.

Decision: By a majority, the Board voted to uphold the decision of the local Issuing Authority, Chief Thomas Sweeney, Glastonbury Police Department, the denial of a pistol permit. Carr, Corradino, Knapp, Overturf and Tramadeo voted for the local Issuing Authority. Kuck voted for the appellant.

10) Case No. 10-236-R, Lawrence Baeder, involving the revocation of his pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. The appellant failed to appear. Sgt. Seth Mancini represented the State Issuing Authority, Commissioner Reuben F. Bradford, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

Decision: By a unanimous decision, the Board members voted to uphold the decision of the State Issuing Authority, Commissioner Reuben F. Bradford, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the revocation of the appellant’s pistol permit, due to the appellant’s failure to appear.

11) Case No. 11-152-R, Stanley Williams, involving the revocation of his pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. The appellant failed to appear. Sgt. Seth Mancini represented the State Issuing Authority, Commissioner Reuben F. Bradford, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

Decision: By a unanimous decision, the Board members voted to uphold the decision of the State Issuing Authority, Commissioner Reuben F. Bradford, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the revocation of the appellant’s pistol permit, due to the appellant’s failure to appear.

12) Case No. 11-150-D, Ramon Luna, involving the denial of a pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. The appellant appeared on his own behalf. Corporal Donald Comstock represented the local Issuing Authority, Chief Bruno Giulini, Groton City Police Department.

Motion: Chairman Corradino motioned that since Mr. Luna was a resident of Rhode Island and not Connecticut, therefore the Board did not have jurisdiction and the case was closed. Motion carried.

13) Case No. 11-237-D, Timothy Reed, involving the denial of a pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. The appellant appeared on his own behalf. Corporal Donald Comstock represented the local Issuing Authority, Chief Bruno Giulini, Groton City Police Department.

Withdrawal: The appellant, Mr. Reed, withdrew his appeal, due to a Federal law that prevents Mr. Reed from possessing a firearm with his conviction.

14) Case No. 11-76-D, Adam Liberatore, involving the denial of a pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. Attorney Audrey J. Porzio represented the appellant. The local Issuing Authority is Chief John Gavallas, Watertown Police Department. 

Withdrawal: The Board was notified by fax that Attorney Porzio on behalf of her client Mr. Liberatore that the appeal is withdrawn. The appeal was withdrawn on Wednesday,

November 9, 2011 at 2pm, after the agenda was posted on the Board’s website. Chief John Gavallas was notified by Board staff.

15) Case No. 10-239-R, Paul Chubet, involving the revocation of his pistol permit to carry pistols and revolvers. Sgt. Seth Mancini represented the State Issuing Authority, Commissioner Reuben F. Bradford, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

Withdrawal: Det. Mattson, Special Licensing and Firearms Unit, notified the Board members that Mr. Chubet had been at the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection the morning of the hearing and that Mr. Chubet had withdrawn his appeal. Det. Mattson reissued a pistol permit to Mr. Chubet.

Secretary’s Report:

1) Approval of October 27, 2011 Minutes. Knapp made a motion to approve the minutes. Tramadeo seconded the motion, motion carried.

Motion to adjourn: Knapp made a motion to adjourn, Tramadeo seconded the motion, motion carried.