Connecticut
A Connecticut drug dealer got prison. He has to give up a Rolex and $200,000 in jewelry too.
A Connecticut man who trafficked cocaine through the mail was sentenced this week to 10 years in prison, according to federal authorities.
Jean Mangual-Castro, also known as “Mangui,” 35, of West Haven, also was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford Federal Court to five years of supervised release, according to federal authorities.
Authorities, citing court documents and statements made in court, said an investigation headed by the FBI New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force found that Mangual-Castro “was orchestrating shipments of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico.”
Investigators identified a suspicious package that was delivered to the West Haven residence of Mangual-Castro’s mother in December 2021 and in a court-authorized search of the residence, seized about two kilos of cocaine, a Rolex watch, more than $200,000 in jewelry, and about $2,900 in cash, authorities said.
“Investigators identified numerous other suspicious parcels that had been shipped from Puerto Rico to addresses connected to Mangual-Castro in Connecticut,” authorities said in a statement.
Nagala ordered that Mangual-Castro forfeit his interest in the watch, jewelry and cash that were seized.
Mangual-Castro, who has been held his arrest in December 2021, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine in 2022. His mother pleaded guilty to a related charge and awaits sentencing, authorities said in the statement.
The FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force includes participants from the New Haven, Milford , East Haven, and West Haven police departments, Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden and Town of Groton police departments.
Connecticut
Take a tour of Project Nightmare at Lake Compounce’s Phantom Fall Fest
There are lots of places across Connecticut to get into the Halloween spirit and Phantom Fall Fest at Lake Compounce is one of them.
This is the final weekend of Phantom Fall Fest and NBC Connecticut reporter Julia LeBlanc got a look at Project Nightmare.
Warning in case you don’t do well with haunted houses. This one gave her quite a scare.
A look inside Project Nightmare at Lake Compounce
Here’s a look inside.
This is the final weekend of Phantom Fall Fest at Lake Compounce and NBC Connecticut reporter Julia LeBlanc got a look at Project Nightmare and it gave her quite a scare.
We also got a look at the marionette scene of Project Nightmare at Lake Compounce.
We are getting a look at the marionette scene of Project Nightmare at Lake Compounce.
This is the part where you find monsters under the bed at Project Nightmare at Lake Compunce.
Project Nightmare is one of five haunts and it includes a section with monsters under your bed.
We also got a look at the Sleep Keeper at Project Nightmare at Lake Compounce.
We got a look at the Sleep Keeper at Project Nightmare at Lake Compounce.
There are five haunts you can explore.
Learn more about Phantom Fall Fest here.
Connecticut
Eight banks sue to block Connecticut Attorney General subpoenas for banking records
HARTFORD — Eight regional and national financial institutions are asking a judge to halt a state investigation into their companies.
On Oct. 1, the AG’s office issued a series of subpoenas seeking “extensive banking records and financial data” from Jan. 1, 2018, to the present, according to the lawsuit.
The subpoenas requested financial records, bank statements, cancelled checks, signature cards, evidence of transfers, loan and credit applications, deposit slips, and safe-deposit box records, “without limitation to any identified transaction or alleged misconduct,” the lawsuit went on to state.
The banks argue the subpoenas were not accompanied by “any notice of pending administrative or judicial action,” except that they were related to the submission of claims for payment to a medical assistance program,” according to the lawsuit.
“Because no administrative referral or case exists, these subpoenas are procedurally defective and should be quashed in their entirety,” the lawsuit stated.
Elizabeth Benton, spokeswoman for Attorney General William Tong, said state law authorizes the Attorney General to investigate suspected violations of the state False Claims Act and to issue subpoenas for records in furtherance of the investigation.
“When the subpoena seeks records from a bank, the attorney general must also serve a copy of the subpoena on the account holder,” Benton said.
Benton declined to comment any further.
The banks contend the AG’s office lacks jurisdiction, the subpoenas are overly broad and violate financial privacy.
Connecticut
Connecticut to send 13 high school teams to compete at Hoophall Invitational in January
Ten Connecticut boys basketball teams and three girls basketball teams will be playing in the second Panini Hoophall Invitational on Jan. 17-18, 2026 at several locations in the Springfield, Mass. area.
A total of 76 squads (56 for boys, 20 for girls) were invited from eight states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont) for a weekend at the Birthplace of Basketball. That is up from 64 teams in the inaugural event.
“I think, frankly, if we had more space in Springfield, we could have gone bigger than that,” said Greg Procino, the Vice President of External Events & Partnerships for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
“There are a couple reasons why this kind of works. One, it gives teams an opportunity to play teams they don’t normally see. Second, it’s an opportunity to bring teams to the Hall of Fame, something teams don’t normally do. Third, you can be part of a big weekend of so much basketball. It’s an opportunity to feel like a part of something special.”
A few Connecticut teams are back for a second try. The New London boys and girls return, and are playing consecutive games at High School of Commerce on Jan. 17. The boys face Providence Central (R.I.) and the girls take on Albany (N.Y.).
St, Bernard, a Division I boys finalist the last two years, also returns and will battle Barrington (R.I.) in the first game Jan. 17 at Pope Francis Preparatory School, followed by the Bristol Central girls vs. Barrington. The last game there pits the East Hartford boys against Pope Francis (Mass.).
The Glastonbury girls are also back, facing Pittsfield (Mass.) at Springfield Central. The Staples boys follow Glastonbury, taking on Taconic (Mass.).
Bunnell, the two-time CIAC Division III boys state champion, will face KIPP Capital (N.Y.) at Putnam High in Connecticut. At the High School of Science and Technology, the St. Joseph boys face Stony Brook (N.Y.), and two games later, the Stonington boys face Minnechaug.
The Springfield International Charter School will host the Ridgefield girls vs. Minnechaug (Mass.) and the Tolland boys against Springfield International Charter.
The Weaver boys will take on Berne-Knox (N.Y.) at High School of Commerce
All Connecticut teams will either play a championship or consolation game Jan. 18 at the same site.
Running the same weekend, the Hoophall Classic (Jan. 15-19) field is expected to be announced Thursday, Procino said. All games will be played at Springfield College.
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