Bethany First Selectman announces a resignation in the middle of the scandal

Bethany, CT – First Selectman Paula Cofrancesco announced that she was positioning her position at a meeting on Monday evening.

The announcement was made by many in the audience in applause.

“I write to inform you about my decision, to step back from my position,” said Cofrancesco and read before her official resignation letter. “I realize that my sequel as a first Selectman will be a distraction to the important business that needs to be done.”

Several media took place in the meeting and published a video of Cofrancesco's cancellation announcement such as WFSB and WTNH.

Cofrancesco's decision follows the recent publication of an independent body in which the conclusion came to the conclusion that it had not taken any important measures after it was said that an employee of the city had sexually abused children.

Anthony Mastrangelo, 25, is accused of having abused minor children who were enrolled as an intern in Bethany's parks and leisure programs.

Mastrangelo, which no longer works for the city, was charged last June due to sexual assault on a fourth degree, sexual attacks of the first degree and illegal sexual contact with a victim under the age of 16 due to sexual assault.

The city retained the judge of the Judge Court in retirement, Robert Holzberg, and the law firm Pullman & Give to carry out an independent examination. The committee published its results in a lengthy report published on May 15th.

Cofrancesco denied misconduct and indicated that it does not agree to the results of the report.
Cofrancesco said that, according to the office of the city clerk on June 6th, her resignation will be effective, which was expected to be the official letter of withdrawal on Tuesday.

The community begins with the process of finding a new first Selectman.

The report concludes that Cofrancesco already knew the specific nature of the allegations against Mastrangelo on December 23, 2022 and that it was examined that the Foreign Ministry was an investigation into children and families and the state police.

“Even if her assertion that she was not aware of the details of the allegations in December 2022 at its own discretion, she knew by June 19, 2023 – a whole year before his arrests – that several DCF investigations had confirmed that Mastrangelo had been registered sexually abused children in the programs of the park and recreational department,” said the reports.

The committee came to the conclusion that it is “inexplicable” that Cofrancesco did not immediately end the employment of Mastrangelo in December 2022, the community informs alleged attacks by a city employee and initiates a comprehensive review of parks and recreational procedures and guidelines. The committee also has Cofrancesco for the failure to interview Mastrangelo or to ask him an investigation of the allegations.

Mastrangelo's employment at the city ended in June 2023, as the report shows after the city of DCF was informed about the determination that Mastrangelo had sexually abused at least two children during his employment.

The committee evaluated a personal relationship between the first Selectman and the Mastrangelo and the question of whether it influenced the decision -making of Cofrancesco or not.

“Despite the rejection of the first Selectman refusal, a close personal relationship with Mastrangelo and his family, witness interviews, social media contributions, the own text messages of Selectman and the attitude of Mastrangelo support his insurance company for his insurance company,” says the report.

In a “Bethany Bulletin” communication in September 2024 with the city's inhabitants, which was included in the report, Cofrancesco stated that after the complaint in December 2022, all contacts with minors in parks and recreation programs were removed and was allowed to work in different capacity in a short time.

Cofrancesco claimed that there was not enough evidence available at this time to justify immediate termination. With regard to the reason why the residents were not notified in 2022, Cofrancesco informed the residents that the city was legally and ethically obliged not to comment on an open examination.

Mastrangelo denied misconduct and “not guilty” against all charges against him. His case is pending before the Supreme Court in New Haven, whereby his next court appearance is planned for June 18.

Read the full report here.