Trooper given time to consider plea deal

Aaron "AJ" Huntsman, a 19-year veteran of the Connecticut state police, is charged with two counts of third-degree larceny, and one count each of interfering with police and tampering with evidence. Huntsman has been given more than a month to decide whether to accept a plea bargain of one year in jail. The judge then continued the case to Oct. 28. less Aaron "AJ" Huntsman, a 19-year veteran of the Connecticut state police, is charged with two counts of third-degree larceny, and one count each of interfering with police and tampering with evidence. Huntsman ... more Photo: Unknown, File Photo Photo: Unknown, File Photo Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Trooper given time to consider plea deal 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

BRIDGEPORT -- A state trooper accused of stealing money and jewelry from a crash victim who lay dying on the Merritt Parkway has been given more than a month to decide whether to accept a plea bargain of one year in jail.

Aaron "AJ" Huntsman told Superior Court Judge Richard Arnold on Tuesday that he needed time to think about the state's offer. The judge then continued the case to Oct. 28.

Neither Huntsman nor his lawyer, Ryan McGuigan, would comment as they left the courthouse.

Huntsman, 43, a 19-year veteran of the state police, is charged with two counts of third-degree larceny, and one count each of interfering with police and tampering with evidence.

After his lawyer met with the judge and the prosecutor, Assistant State's Attorney Marc Durso, Huntsman agreed to withdraw his application for veteran's accelerated rehabilitation, a pretrial program for nonviolent offenders who are military veterans.

Durso then told the judge in open court that he was offering Huntsman a plea bargain of five years, suspended after he serves one year in prison. followed by three years' probation.

Huntsman is accused of stealing $3,700 from 49-year-old John Scalesse last Sept. 22. He was killed after his motorcycle crashed into a construction company truck on the northbound section of Exit 44 on the Merritt Parkway in Fairfield.

Huntsman has maintained his innocence even after he was shown a video of his taking the money captured on the dash camera of his own police car, the affidavit states.

Following his arrest, Huntsman spent two weeks in a drug rehabilitation center for a claimed addiction to pain medication, court records show. Scalesse's mother, Marguerite Scalesse, was in the courtroom during Tuesday's hearing.

"All I know is that the case has been continued," she said as she left the courtroom.

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