Farmington Man Charged with Embezzling Campaign Funds

A Farmington man was arrested today and charged with embezzling more than $10,000 from a 2014 state Senate campaign for which he served as treasurer.

WILLIAM J. BAKER, age 45, of 17 Red Coat Lane, Farmington, was arrested by Inspectors from the Statewide Prosecution Bureau in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney on a warrant charging him with one count of Larceny in the Second Degree.

The investigation was initiated after the State Elections Enforcement Commission voted to refer the matter to the Chief State’s Attorney for criminal prosecution after a random audit detected irregularities in the Wadsworth for Senate campaign.

Baker served as campaign treasurer William A. Wadsworth, who ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate from the 5^th District in 2014. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Wadsworth had limited involvement in the campaign’s finances and cooperated with the SEEC audit and investigation.

Baker is accused of taking more than $10,000 in campaign funds for his personal use and then filing false reports with the SEEC to cover up the thefts, the warrant states. The campaign had received state funds through the Citizens Election Fund program, the warrant states.

Baker was released on $10,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court, G.A. No. 14, on July 25, 2019. The charge is merely an accusation and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Larceny in the Second Degree is a class C felony punishable by not less than one year nor more than 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

The case is being prosecuted by the Statewide Prosecution Bureau of the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office. The SEEC and Farmington Police Department assisted with the investigation.