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Investigation into Public Works Director Ongoing

During a Nov. 8 Board of Selectmen (BOS) meeting, First Selectmen Carl Fortuna provided a brief update on the situation surrounding the arrest of Public Works Director Larry Bonin.

At the end of October Larry Bonin, the Director of Public Works for the Town of Old Saybrook, was arrested and charged with sexual assault in the fourth degree and breach of peace in the second degree. Upon his arrest, Bonin was placed on administrative leave by the town.

At the start of the meeting on Nov. 8 Fortuna said that the town has opened an internal investigation into the alleged actions of Bonin. While Bonin is due in court in January, Fortuna said the town will be conducting its own internal investigation separate from the legal investigation.

Fortuna told the Board he would be relying on help from town counsel on how to proceed and that he had touched base with Bonin’s union as well.

“I will keep the board apprised of everything as it comes,” Fortuna said, noting the internal investigation is only in the early stages. Fortuna said the timeline of the internal investigation will move at a separate pace than the legal investigation.

In the meantime, Fortuna said the department has named public works employee Bill Claffey as the temporary public works director. Fortuna said that once Claffey is on the job for four days he will be paid at the same rate as the public works director’s salary.

Bonin is due in court in January and according to the state’s judicial website he has yet to enter a plea.

The Allegations

The charges against Bonin stem from several alleged interactions between an unnamed person, referred to only as Victim One in an arrest warrant obtained by the Harbor News, and Bonin which occurred between November 2021 and April 2022 at the Old Saybrook Transfer Station. Victim One reported the allegations to the Old Saybrook Police Department (OSPD) in June of this year, prompting police to open an investigation.

In an affidavit written by Old Saybrook Police officer Stephanie Milardo, Victim One alleged that Bonin made a series of inappropriate and unwanted sexual comments toward them over several months. The allegations include a suggestion that Victim One perform oral sex on Bonin. The affidavit details another incident in which Bonin allegedly pulled Victim One into an unwanted embrace and said, “When are we going to have sex? I’m getting sick and tired of you playing hard to get.”

In the affidavit, Milardo wrote that Victim One further alleged that Bonin took actions such as intentionally blocking the victim’s car in and alleged in a separate encounter that Bonin intentionally stuck a broom handle between the victim’s legs and crotch.

The last interviews related to the arrest warrant were conducted in August, and the arrest warrant was submitted on Oct. 21. A judge approved that the affidavit showed probable cause for arrest on Oct. 26. Bonin was arrested on Oct. 28 and placed on administrative leave right after.

Fortuna stated earlier this year that Bonin has been employed by the town for 22 years.