Local Man Draws Five-Year Prison Term For Sex Crime

By Andrew Gorosko

A Sandy Hook man was serving a five-year prison term this week at the New Haven Correctional Center following his January 23 sentencing in Danbury Superior Court on a felony conviction for risk of injury to a minor through sexual contact.

In court, Judge Paul Matasavage sentenced Ronald Swift, 43, of 45 Maplewood Trail to a five-year prison term as punishment for Swift having had sexual contact with a girl under age 16.

Swift had been held as a prisoner by the state Department of Correction (DOC) on $250,000 bail since he was arrested by Newtown police last June 4 on a warrant listing 18 felony charges stemming from alleged sex and drug offenses.

Under the terms of a plea agreement, last November 7 Swift pleaded guilty to the single criminal charge for which he was convicted. Swift made that guilty plea under the terms of the Alford Doctrine, in which a defendant does not admit guilt and asserts his innocence, but acknowledges that sufficient evidence exists for a conviction by a judge or jury.

The state did not prosecute the 17 other criminal charges against Swift.

Swift was represented by attorney Anthony Yorio.

At the sentencing, Judge Matasavage ordered Swift to serve 20 years in prison, which would be suspended after Swift serves five years of that term.

Also, the judge ordered Swift to serve 20 years of probation after he leaves prison. If Swift violates the special conditions of his probation, he would be subject to possibly serving the balance of the 20-year prison sentence.

Also, the judge required that after he leaves prison, Swift be listed on the state’s Internet-based sex offender registry for the remainder of Swift’s life. That registry lists identifying details about people who have been convicted of sex crimes, including the offender’s photo, a physical description, the nature of their conviction, and their place of residence.

As terms of his probation, the judge is requiring that Swift have no unsupervised contact with minors and that he have no contact with the victims of his crime as were listed in an investigatory report prepared for the court.

Also, Swift must have a substance abuse/alcohol abuse evaluation performed, plus have testing done, and follow a treatment program.

Additionally, the judge ordered that Swift not use any illegal nonprescription drugs or drink any alcohol.

In court documents disclosed last June, Newtown police alleged that in six separate instances dating back to June 2005, Swift committed 18 felonies.

Those charges included various counts of: attempt to commit second-degree sexual assault, attempt to commit illegal sexual contact, risk of injury to a child, second-degree sexual assault, illegal sexual contact, sale of certain illegal drugs, sale of hallucinogenic/narcotic substances, sale of a controlled substance, illegal delivery of liquor to minors, and possession of narcotics, according to court records.

Police began an investigation after receiving a complaint against Swift in September 2007. Police probed Swift’s past behavior, resulting in the 18 felony charges against him.

The court papers that detail the various criminal allegations against Swift list the two female victims in the case as “Jane Doe” and as “Jane Doe 2.”

In a seven-page arrest warrant application, Newtown Police Detective Michael McGowan listed numerous reasons why police believe Swift is guilty of the multiple felonies, based on testimony provided to police by witnesses.

Police learned of the allegations against Swift from a state government agency, which had received information on the matter from Newtown High School officials.

The underage female victim, known as Jane Doe, was interviewed by multiple investigators in September 2007. The victim described to investigators sexual contact between her and Swift, starting in the summer of 2005, according to the court documents.

The court papers also describe Swift’s alleged sexual contact with another young female, known as Jane Doe 2. That witness stated that Swift distributed marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol to people under age 21.

Police in November 2007 executed search-and-seizure warrants against Swift for his residence, an adjacent shed, and his 1990 Ford Econoline van. Police said they seized pornographic materials as evidence in the case.

The court papers also list various allegations about Swift’s possession and sale of drugs, as well as his providing alcohol to underage persons.

Police Chief Michael Kehoe this week had no comment about the sentencing of Swift on the sex crime conviction.

The chief, however, complimented Mr McGowan on his work on the case. “I think he did a tremendous job of investigating the case,” Chief Kehoe said.