Meriden Record Journal

MERIDEN — The July arrest of a woman accused of human trafficking led police to charge a 53-year-old Hartford man with attempting to have sex with a minor during a sting operation, according to an incident report. Victor Velez Jr. was charged Sept. 3 with criminal attempt at risk of injury to a minor, second-degree sexual assault and criminal attempt/commercial sexual abuse of a minor after police say he arranged a meeting with an officer posing as a 13-year-old girl.

WALLINGFORD — An East Granby man and a juvenile have been arrested in connection with a scheme to cash fraudulent checks from a business totaling tens of thousands of dollars, police say. Officers received a complaint in March that someone had stolen and forged a local business’s checks that were taken from the mail for the amounts of $21,775 and $12,604.50, the Wallingford Police Department said in a release.

SOUTHINGTON — Firefighters rescued a hiker stranded on Ragged Moutain by rappelling to them on Saturday, officials say. Firefighters were dispatched to Ragged Mountain at 6:38 p.m. on a report of a hiker stranded on a cliff, the Southington Fire Department said in a post on Facebook. A command post was established at 150 Carey St., where crews entered the trail system and began searching for the hiker, officials said.

Former Meriden and Groton housing authorities executive director Robert Cappelletti David Zajac/Hearst Connecticut Media The Meriden Housing Authority's Community Towers is located at 55 Willow St. Dave Zajac/Hearst Connecticut Media MERIDEN — At least one critic of former Meriden Housing Authority Executive Director Robert Cappelletti has for some time been sounding the alarm about conditions at a public housing complex in the city under his leadership.

Superintendent of Schools Brian Reas, Plainville High School coach Lou Mandeville, September Plainville Community Schools' All Star Chuck Radda; Plainville Athletic Director Mark Fritz and Plainville Board of Education Chairman Foster White.

VERNON — A Southington man was sentenced to more than three years in prison for sexually assaulting a minor in 2020, officials said. In a press release, the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice said Cody Cutler, 28, was given an effective sentence of 40 months in prison in state Superior Court in Rockville on Wednesday. After serving the prison time, he will be on probation for 10 years, the statement said.

Robert Cappelletti, former director of the Meriden and Groton housing authorities, is seen in a 2016 file photo. Hearst Connecticut Media MERIDEN — Former executive director of both the Meriden and Groton housing authorities, Robert Cappelletti, 60, was arrested Thursday by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut’s office on charges of wire fraud and illegal financial transactions.

CHESHIRE — A 20-year-old Bristol man has been identified as the victim in a fatal motorcycle crash in Cheshire on Saturday night, police said. Cheshire police said they responded to the crash on Mountain Road near Sorghum Mill Drive around 10:17 p.m. Saturday. Aidan Collins was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency response personnel, according to police.

WALLINGFORD — A Wallingford resident claimed Cash5's six-figure top prize on Tuesday. The winning $100,000 ticket was purchased at Tarrar Grocer, LLC, located at 315 N Colony St. in Wallingford, Connecticut Lottery reported. Following an Oct. 1, 2025, ruling, the Connecticut Lottery no longer shares winners' names unless given permission. A prospective Cash5 player selects five numbers from 1 to 35, or chooses Quick Pick and allows the computer to randomly select the numbers.

NEW HAVEN — A 26-year-old Waterbury man who was convicted of murder by the state’s first “anonymous jury” has been ordered to serve 50 years in prison, state prosecutors said. Joseph Stokes was sentenced during a hearing in state Superior Court in New Haven on Monday, according to New Haven Judicial District State’s Attorney John P. Doyle Jr. The sentencing hearing was held about three months after a jury found Stokes guilty in the fatal shooting of Aaron Ormsby, 21, on Jan. 27, 2019 in Meriden.