Connecticut
Ex-Connecticut city official sentenced to 10 days behind bars for storming US Capitol
Local News
Gene DiGiovanni, of Derby, Conn., attended then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House before marching to the Capitol and entering the building.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Connecticut business owner who has served as an elected alderman in his hometown was sentenced Wednesday to 10 days behind bars for joining a mob’s assault on the U.S. Capitol over three years ago, court records show.
Chief Judge James Boasberg also ordered Gene DiGiovanni Jr. to perform 50 hours of community service for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack, according to a spokesman for federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C.
DiGiovanni, of Derby, Conn., attended then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House before marching to the Capitol and entering the building through the Upper West Terrace door. He remained inside the Capitol for roughly 22 minutes.
“After exiting the building, DiGiovanni did not leave the grounds but remained on the East Front steps where he celebrated, raising his arm in the air,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing.
DiGiovanni pleaded guilty in January to entering or remaining within a restricted building or grounds, a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of one year in prison.
Prosecutors had recommended sentencing DiGiovanni to 30 days of imprisonment. Defense attorney Martin Minnella asked for no jail time.
“As Benjamin Franklin once said, ‘It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.’ This is what Mr. DiGiovanni has endured since the outset of this case,” Minnella wrote.
c “was merely a follower and did not intent to participate in any so-called insurrection,” Minnella said in a statement after Wednesday’s sentencing.
“On behalf of Mr. DiGiovanni and his family, we are all grateful that this dark chapter in his life is now over,” the lawyer added.
DiGiovanni is a contractor who owns a construction business. He has served as an alderman in Derby and ran for mayor of the city after the Capitol riot.
More than 1,350 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Over 800 of them have been sentenced, with roughly two-thirds receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from a few days to 22 years.
DANBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — Danbury drivers can expect hours-long closures on Sugar Hollow Road early Monday morning after a “serious” crash, according to local police.
Police said the morning crash has caused closures in both directions at the Ridgefield Line (Bennetts Farm Road) and at Miry Brook Road.
The road is expected to close for approximately three to four hours, police said.
Drivers are asked to seek alternate routes, including George Washington Highway and Route 53.
There are no words on injuries.
Additional information was not immediately available.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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ROCKY HILL, Conn. (WFSB) – People like Dena Pizzoferrato are changing what they put in their grocery carts after hearing about a cyclosporiasis outbreak.
“I’m kind of a little nervous so I’m looking to see what I buy right now,” Pizzoferrato said. “Today I didn’t buy any lettuce. I said I’m OK for now.”
Doctors say the illness is spread through parasites that make their way onto fresh produce. There have been 23 reported cases in Connecticut since May, but the CDC says the number is likely higher. Across the country, more than 840 cases and 86 hospitalizations have been reported in 31 states.
Symptoms include diarrhea and nausea that can last days to weeks. Doctors have not identified a source for the outbreak.
Dr. Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare, said a range of produce could be contaminated.
“Typical things you would think are vegetables or fruits. In the past, it’s been raspberries, basil, cilantro. You may find it in lettuces, bagged salads. So it’s a variety of things that can be contaminated, but they have not found it at this time,” said Wu.
Wu said residents should take precautions with their produce. “Take precautions with your fruit and your produce. We give the same advice when people go overseas that you should always peel something. You should always boil something,” he said.
Doctors also recommend washing produce thoroughly if boiling is not an option, and washing hands regularly.
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Chip Rubenstein, owner of Chip’s Auto Sales of Milford, says he’s honored to celebrate the dealership’s 50th anniversary alongside America’s 250th birthday.
“I opened Chip’s Auto Sales in 1976, during a chaotic time for our nation in the world,” said Rubenstein, “50 years later, I am so proud of the legacy I’ve created as somebody who always tried his best to do right, and to serve my community proudly.”
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