Sandy Hook Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Crime

HARTFORD — Frederick Moran, 59, of 8-A Homer Clark Road, Sandy Hook, on August 13 pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement, according to US Attorney Kevin J. O’Connor.

Mr Moran was approached by several persons who had been charged as a result of an investigation into employees of subcontractors working at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, according to a statement issued by Mr O’Connor.

Mr Moran told these persons that he had connections with both a high-level official in the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and an immigration lawyer, and could assist them in obtaining legal status in the United States, according to Mr O’Connor. Mr Moran further told them that the attorney required “up-front” money totaling more than $9,000, which they paid to him, Mr O’Connor added.

When no help was forthcoming, lawyers for some of the people who had paid Mr Moran money approached the federal agents involved in the Sikorsky investigation and brought Mr Moran’s actions to their attention.

During the course of an ensuing investigation, Mr Moran made numerous false statements to the agents investigating the matter regarding, among other things, his ability to repay the people who had paid him and the steps that he had taken to secure funds for repayment, according Mr O’Connor.

When he is sentenced by Judge Alfred V. Covello on November 3, Mr Moran faces a maximum term of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Office of Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. Assistant United States Attorney James K. Filan, Jr, was the prosecutor.