Naughty Water draws neighborhood ire

The management of Naughty Water Whiskey Bar and Grille, a new restaurant slated to open later this month, is the subject of a brew controversy in Bridgeport's Black Rock neighborhood. The restaurant is just days from its planned opening on Dec. 16, but area residents say they don't want Mario Marro to remain the general manager because he is on probation for sexual assault. less The management of Naughty Water Whiskey Bar and Grille, a new restaurant slated to open later this month, is the subject of a brew controversy in Bridgeport's Black Rock neighborhood. The restaurant is just ... more Photo: Wes Duplantier Photo: Wes Duplantier Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Naughty Water draws neighborhood ire 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

BRIDGEPORT -- An old-fashioned bar and grill is just days from its scheduled opening in the city's Black Rock neighborhood, but before the first meal is served or the first drink is poured, a controversy is brewing about the man who apparently will oversee the restaurant's operations.

Dozens of neighborhood residents filled a room at the Burroughs Community Center on Saturday, most of them opposed to the current staff arrangement of Naughty Water Whiskey Bar and Grille, which is setting up shop just a few blocks away at 2931 Fairfield Avenue.

Most of the opponents did not object to the opening of the bar, but rather to its choice of general manager, a 47-year-old man named Mario Marro.

In 2001, Marro was sentenced to 12 years in state prison for drugging a woman with a cat tranquilizer called ketamine and then sexually assaulting her, according to press accounts from the time. Possession of the sedative is also illegal.

Marro was released from prison Jan. 25 and must serve 15 years of probation. A condition of his probation is that he has to register as a sex offender.

Led by state Rep. Auden Grogins, D-Bridgeport, and Democratic City Councilwoman Susan Brannelly, several residents said Saturday they are against Marro running the bar, given his criminal past.

"We're not against a bar opening," said Grogins. "We are concerned about someone who has risk factors, like this being a manager of a bar."

Residents said they opposed Marro's prospective position for a number of reasons: It might be a violation of his probation, it might put him in a position to spike someone's drink and the very name of the restaurant was seen by some as an allusion to the crime for which Marro served prison time. Marro's victim was drugged by drinking from a water bottle spiked with the sedative.

The city does not require that Naughty Water have a public hearing before opening, but the bar is applying for a permanent license from the state liquor commission. Grogins and Brannelly encouraged people opposed to the bar to sign a petition to block that permanent license.

No one from the local Adult Probation Department was present at Saturday's meeting, but Grogins said she had spoken to the probation office and had been told that Marro would be in violation of his probation if he works for the bar in any capacity.

Bridgeport police Capt. Brian McCarthy, who oversees patrols in the neighborhood, said he was concerned that Marro's employment could violate state law that bars people with felony convictions from being licensed to serve liquor.

Naughty Water's permit would not be in Marro's, name and it's not entirely clear whether that law makes it illegal for him to work as the bar's general manager. But McCarthy said he had spoken to members of the state liquor commission who said it would.

Because of Marro's probation and criminal history, McCarthy said he did not support the bar opening with Marro as the general manager.

"You get a decent business that opens, you get decent people coming in, the business thrives and the neighborhood thrives," McCarthy said. "Those are all good things. Unfortunately, right now, this one isn't going in the right direction."

Brannelly said she and others find the name "horrifying," given Marro's criminal history.

Grogins, Brannelly and several people at the meeting said they were excited about the prospect of a new business coming to the neighborhood, especially one that could draw in and entertain visitors. But they said they could not ignore Marro's serious criminal record, particularly because he pleaded guilty to the assault.

"As a society, it's fair for us to believe that this is actually what happened," Grogins said.

Marro himself wasn't present at Saturday's meeting, but several of his family members and co-workers at the bar were, including the owner of the bar, Jerry Iannucci. The name of the bar, Iannucci said, is a phrase used for alcohol several decades ago, and nothing more. He said the atmosphere of the restaurant is going to be upscale and formal, like establishments of the past.

Iannucci is Marro's uncle, and it is his name that appears on the liquor permit. He said Marro and other staff are putting the finishing touches on the bar for a Dec. 16 opening. Iannucci also said the family is working with lawyers to file an appeal in Marro's case.

"There's a lot of serious things that are going to come out of this in his favor, and it's going to work," said Iannucci, who also owns Jerry's Shoppe of Decor in Stratford.

In an interview after the meeting, Iannucci insisted that his nephew would not be in a serving position at any time. He said Marro is not a licensed bartender, doesn't know how to make drinks and doesn't even drink alcohol himself. Instead, Iannucci said, his nephew would be working downstairs, overseeing things like purchasing, stocking the restaurant and hiring employees.

Marro's cousin, Debra Jaswaye, said he lives with her in Bridgeport. She said her cousin has taken multiple private polygraphs to try to prove his innocence, but probation authorities have not accepted them as proof that he didn't commit the crime.

She said her cousin was forced to plead guilty to the crimes.

"They lumped together both the sex charge and the drug charge," she said. "He could not beat the drug charge because the drugs were planted in his house, so he had no choice but to plead guilty."

She said her cousin was well-qualified to be general manager of Naughty Water, citing his experience with other restaurant businesses like Liquid Night Club, in South Norwalk, which is now called Episode.

"No one could do it better than my cousin, because he has a very good track record for running very successful businesses," Jaswaye said.

Iannucci said he also thinks Marro has skills that make him a good fit for a management job, the fruits of which he said will be on display when the restaurant opens to the public.

"They're trying to make this place fantastic," Iannucci said. "They're trying to make this place something to stand out in Black Rock."