Painting contractor, 78, sentenced to federal prison for bribing West Haven housing official

Oct. 15--HARTFORD -- A federal judge sentenced West Haven painting contractor Harry P. Miconi Wednesday to six months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $862,563 in restitution for conspiring to bribe former West Haven Housing Authority Executive Director Michael Siwek.

The first six months of supervised release for Miconi, 78, must be spent in home confinement, wearing an electronic monitor, U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea said.

Shea cited Miconi's age, lack of a prior criminal record and record as a U.S. military veteran who served during the conflict in Korea, as well as his strong family ties, in departing from federal sentencing guidelines to impose a sentence far lighter than the 60 months in prison Miconi could have received.

He also took into account the fact that Miconi cashed in an IRA, a 401K retirement account and his life insurance and came to court Wednesday with a check for $400,000 to begin repaying to the government the money he paid to Siwek -- who has pleaded guilty but as yet to be sentenced -- as bribes.

Shea imposed the sentence after Miconi's wife, Donna Miconi, and several other family members made pleas on Miconi's behalf.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between January 2007 and February 2012, Miconi and his business made more than $800,000 in corrupt payments to Siwek and Four Star Development Company LLC, an entity personally owned and controlled by Siwek.

In return, Siwek directed approximately $2.8 million in business for or with the West Haven Housing Authority and its two affiliated instrumentalities, Meadow Landing and Spring Heights, to Miconi and his businesses.

Miconi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with a program receiving federal funds on Nov. 6, 2013.

Siwek pleaded guilty to bribery and tax evasion charges stemming from his receipt of approximately $1.5 million in bribes from Miconi and others on Sept. 4, 2014.

___

(c)2014 the New Haven Register (New Haven, Conn.)

Visit the New Haven Register (New Haven, Conn.) at www.nhregister.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services