Following his recent arrest by Bethel police on burglary/larceny charges, All-Star Transportation has suspended from work without pay a Monroe man who had driven School Bus #20 in Newtown.

In an e-mail sent to local parents, Schools Superintendent Dr Joseph Erardi, Jr, wrote that the bus driver’s arrest on October 30 “is unrelated to the driver’s work assignment.”

“In partnership with All-Star Transportation’s management, I would like to inform you that the driver will no longer be driving Newtown students. This action will go into effect immediately, as there will be a new driver on Bus #20 Monday [November 9] morning,” Dr Erardi wrote.

Additionally, the school superintendent provided parents with information from All-Star Transportation’s Newtown bus manager Alan Colangelo.

Mr Colangelo stated, “All-Star Transportation recently became aware of an arrest by the [Bethel] Police Department regarding one of our employees. This employee was immediately placed on nonpaid suspension pending the outcome of an investigation into this matter.”

Mr Colangelo added, “All-Star Transportation has reviewed this employee’s background and found that all history checks were performed at date of hire. Please be assured that this employee is no longer transporting students for Newtown Public Schools.”

According to a statement from Bethel police, on October 30 they arrested Nelson Montalvo, 50, of Monroe on five counts of third-degree burglary, and one count each of fifth-degree larceny, third-degree criminal mischief, and second-degree breach of peace. The burglary charges are felonies.

According to Bethel police, a complaint was filed with them concerning someone breaking into a home and stealing personal undergarments. Police did not list the location of the crimes.

Through an investigation by the Bethel police detectives, a suspect was identified.

Montalvo was interviewed by detectives and confessed to entering the victim’s home, stealing undergarments, damaging them, and then returning them, according to Bethel police.

Bethel police then sought and received a warrant, after which Montalvo turned himself over to police after learning of that warrant. The crimes allegedly occurred in March.

Bethel police arrested Montalvo, processed the charges, and then released him on $2,500 bail for a November 2 arraignment on the charges in Danbury Superior Court.

Montalvo did not plead to the charges at his arraignment. He is free on $2,500 bail and is scheduled to return to court on November 19.