Former East Haven detective guilty of misdemeanor charges, ordered to pay fines

Former East Haven police Officer Robert Ranfone, left. Former East Haven police Officer Robert Ranfone, left. Photo: Journal Register Co. Photo: Journal Register Co. Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Former East Haven detective guilty of misdemeanor charges, ordered to pay fines 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

NEW HAVEN >> A retired East Haven detective was found guilty of misdemeanor charges stemming from two separate incidents and is being ordered to pay $1,250 in fines.

Robert Ranfone pleaded guilty in Superior Court in New Haven to interfering with an officer from an incident involving the sale of a car, his lawyer William F. Dow said Tuesday. Ranfone also pleaded guilty to second-degree breach of peace in an incident involving a traffic stop in New Haven.

Ranfone had been facing felony charges including tampering with physical evidence, second-degree hindering prosecution and interfering with an officer/resisting stemming from the sale of a sports car sold two different people.

Ranfone declined to comment Tuesday.

He also was facing charges including second-degree unlawful restraint, coercion and breach of peace stemming from a traffic stop in 2013.

Dow said Ranfone pleaded down to two misdemeanors: interfering with an officer for the charges involving the car sales, which carries a $750 fine; and second-degree breach of peace, which carries a $500 fine, for the charges stemming from the 2013 traffic stop. All other charges were dismissed, Dow said.

The plea was made under the Alford doctrine, in which a defendant does not admit guilt but concedes there is enough evidence for a conviction at trial. Such a plea results in a finding of guilt by the court.

“It’s a bargain for getting a guarantee good result instead of risking a trial,” Dow said.

Going to trial would have presented issues for Ranfone, who maintains his innocence, given the East Haven Police Department’s past troubles, he said. Ranfone retired in 2014 with a shoulder injury.

“Robert had an outstanding career at the East Haven Police Department,” Dow said. “Unfortunately, because of the high profile of negative publicity about the department, he was concerned that that would jeopardize his chance at trial.”

The incident in 2013 started with a traffic stop on Jan. 17 after officers from East Haven, including Ranfone, stopped a pregnant New Haven woman, Dominique Cash. The incident resulted in an a 2013 internal investigation that determined the officers had unconstitutionally detained Cash.

Cash has since filed a federal lawsuit alleging civil rights violations by eight current and former officers, including Ranfone, who were involved in the stop.

The vehicle charge was the result of Ranfone’s allegedly involvement in a sale of a sports car that a North Haven used car dealer allegedly sold to two different people.

Reach Esteban L. Hernandez at 203-680-9901.