Connecticut Post

Officer gets suspended sentence

By DANIEL TEPFER dtepfer@ctpost.com
Saturday, December 18, 2004 -

BRIDGEPORT - A city police officer, facing domestic violence charges in three cities, received a suspended sentence in all cases Friday.

Jason Alterio, 26, a Bridgeport officer for three years, pleaded no contest to charges of second-degree breach of peace, third-degree criminal mischief and violating a protective order.

He was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Richard Marano to a suspended 1-year prison term and 18 months of probation.

Conditions of Alterio's probation are that he have no contact with the victims and undergo domestic violence counseling. He was also fined $250.

Alterio stood beside his lawyer, Michael Meehan, during the hearing and told the judge he understood his rights and the consequences of his plea.

He left the courtroom hand-in-hand with an unidentified woman.

Assistant State's Attorney Kevin Dunn, head of the domestic violence unit, told the judge the victims have been informed of the disposition of the case and are satisfied with it.

"He committed crimes of domestic violence and has been treated neither more harshly nor more leniently than anyone else," he said.

Outside the courtroom, Meehan said his client neither admits nor denies any of the accusations against him.

"He still maintains his innocence and intends to defend his right to keep his job," he said.

Alterio has been assigned to the Bridgeport animal shelter while a special hearing officer determines whether he will keep his job. Chief Wilbur Chapman has previously said he wants Alterio fired.

Alterio was charged with third-degree assault, third-degree criminal mischief and first-degree unlawful restraint for assaulting a former girlfriend.

Police said Alterio's former girlfriend told them she was in his apartment here on April 14 when she received a cell phone call. She said Alterio became enraged and accused her of sleeping with the caller.

The victim told police that Alterio snatched her eyeglasses and broke them. He then reportedly grabbed her around the neck and began choking her. She said when she attempted to leave, Alterio blocked her path, police said.

Eventually, the woman managed to get out of the apartment and returned to her New Britain home, where she called police, according to the police report.

Police said that during the next few hours Alterio called the woman 49 times, including three times while she was talking to police.

The woman subsequently had a protective order issued against Alterio. The cop was later arrested for violating that order after he was found outside her home in New Britain.

In January 2003, Alterio was arrested after police said he was harassing another former girlfriend in Stamford.

Alterio also faces a federal lawsuit that contends he used excessive force when he was dispatched to a city woman's home on Aug. 10, 2002.

Dolores Fonseca claims in U.S. District Court that Alterio beat her after he responded to a call to remove her sister from a party.

According to Fonseca's lawsuit, the incident began when she pushed Alterio's flashlight away. She maintains she was wearing a bathing suit and he was shining the light on her breasts.

She accused him of whacking her in the head with the flashlight, slamming her face into a door and stepping on her ankles.

No criminal charges were filed in connection with that incident.

Daniel Tepfer, who covers state courts and law enforcement issues, can be reached at 330-6308.