(Bridgeport, CT) – Bridgeport Judicial District State’s Attorney Joseph T. Corradino announced that The Honorable Kevin C. Doyle on July 6, 2026 sentenced Salem Hennawi, a 64-year-old Bridgeport furniture store owner, to a total effective sentence of 86 months of incarceration, suspended after 17 months of incarceration, followed by 10 years of sex offender probation.
On March 19, 2026, a jury in Superior Court in Bridgeport convicted Hennawi of charges of Sexual Assault in the Third Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-72a(a)(1), two counts of Sexual Assault in the Fourth Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-73a(a)(2) and Unlawful Restraint in the Second Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-96. According to evidence presented at trial, the defendant sexually assaulted three female customers and unlawfully restrained a fourth during separate incidents from 2019 to 2021 while they were shopping in his store. All four incidents occurred in the basement of his furniture store, Salem Furniture, located at 120 Porter Street in Bridgeport. Hennawi escorted shoppers into the basement, insisted that they lie down to test a sample mattress, and then assaulted or restrained them against their will.
Hennawi will be subject to lifetime sex offender registration and must comply with four full, no-contact protective orders for each victim over the next 30 years. As a result of this felony conviction, he will be barred from accessing any firearms, bullets or ammunition and he may also be subject to deportation or denial of naturalization.
In addition, the Court ordered Hennawi to maintain full-time employment throughout the duration of probation. Once released from the Department of Correction, the Court ordered that the Office of Adult Probation will determine whether it is appropriate for Hennawi to continue working at Salem Furniture.
While considering many factors in his sentencing decision, Judge Doyle specifically noted that all four women entered the store going about their daily activities having no idea what would happen to them and recognized the “profound, traumatic effect” Hennawi’s actions have had on their lives.
Corradino praised Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Justina Moore and Assistant State’s Attorney Candace C. Solis, as well as Inspector Christian DiCarlo and Bridgeport Police Detective Albert Palatiello for bringing the case to a successful conclusion.
“We are fortunate to have both experienced investigators and talented prosecutors handling these extremely sensitive cases,” Corradino said.
Hennawi, who was free on bail after the jury returned its verdict, was taken into custody by judicial marshals.