ARRE
WARRil,NT APPUCAT10N STATE OF CONNECTICUT SUPERIOR COURT
No
10-17714 17
MANTINI, Joseph M.
Application For Arrest Wjlrrant To: A Judge of the Superior Court The undersigned hereby applies for a warrant for the arrest of the above-named accused on the basis of the facts set forth in the: !:2J Affidavit Below. 0 Affidavit(s) Attached. i TypeJptint name of 1:1ef'f!RE'flM~itEE
Signed (Prosecuting authority)
Date
, SENIOR
'
Affidavit The undersigned affiant, being duly sworn, depose
1. I, the undersigned, Detective S. A. Wojenski, being duly sworn, do depose and state that I am a member of the Southington Police Department and have been a police officer for approximately ten years prior to this date. At all times mentioned herein, I was acting as a member of the Southington Police Department. The following facts and circumstances are stated from personal knowledge and observations as well as information received from other police officers acting in their official capacity and from official police reports and statements made by prudent and credible witnesses. 2. On November 3, 2010 at approximately 1500 hours Officer Atterato responded to Southington Police Headquarters to investigate a reported fraud. Officer Atterato met with Elke Kuhr, the owner of Evergreen Nursery located at 567 Woodruff Street in Southington, CT. Kuhr reported her accountant, Joseph Mantini, had been forging her signature on Evergreen Nursery Business checks and cashing them. She said Mantini was hired for book keeping on 04/28/2010. Kuhr stated she was looking over her Farmington bank statement for the month of October 2010. She noticed three checks made out to Joseph Mantini with her signature. Kuhr informed Officer Atterato she did not sign the checks. Kuhr looked at bank statements going back to May of 2010 and reported approximately three to four checks a month were signed fraudulently without her knowledge. 3. On November 4, 2010 Officer Atterato met with Elke Kuhr at Southington Police Headquarters. Kuhr provided documents from Bank of America and Farmington Bank claiming a total loss of $20,445.75. The documents included cancelled checks from Farmington Bank and Bank of America. Also included in the packet was the name, date of birth, social security number, driver license number, and phone number for Joseph Mantini. 4. November 8, 2010, I was assigned to conduct the follow up investigation of the complaint of check forgery taken by Officer Atterato.
(This is page 1 of a 7 page Affidavit.) Signed (Affiant)
Date
Jurat
Finding The foregoing Application for an arrest warrant, and affidavit(s) attached to said Application, having been submitted to and considered by the undersigned, the undersigned finds from said affidavit(s) that there is probable cause to believe that an offense has been committed and that the accused committed it and, therefore, that probable cause exists for the issuance of g warrant for the arrest of the above-named accl;I:Sed. /
Date and ~{g . ed t .... 路 S Igna ure ! I
.f
On (Oat!})
/
SlqrJed~JUdge/JUdge Tnal Refere
lI . .
\
ARREST WARRANT APPLICATiON
STATE OF CONNECTICUT SUPERIOR COURT
JDwCR-:;J;a Re'i. w', ยง 54-2a Pr. Bk. Sec, 36- i 36-2 36-3
e,G.s.
Viww.jud.ctgov
Name (Last, First, l\lliddle Initial)
Residence (TcI,vn; of accused
Court to be held at (i own)
MANTINI, Joseph M.
Cheshire
Bristol
! Geograph{cal
IArea number
17
Affidavit - Continued 5. On November 9,2010, William Greger Assistant Vice President of Security for Farmington Bank came to Southington Police Headquarters. He provided me with One Farmington Bank Packet containing one (1) written statement of William Greger, twenty-one (21) Maker's Signature is Forged Affidavits, and the April 30-November 4, 2010 bank statements/account information for Evergreen Nursery Account #20401637. The packet pertained to the Evergreen Nursery Account #20401637. William Greger provided a written statement detailing his investigation of the Evergreen Nursery check forgeries. The statement included the figure for the reimbursement to Evergreen Nursery. The total reimbursement provided by Farmington Bank to Evergreen Nursery was $6,297.25.(It was discovered that a mathematical error was made in the reimbursement figure. The corrected figure was $6,082.25). William Greger advised me Farmington Bank had reimbursed Evergreen Nursery $6,082.25 for the loss incurred as a result of the forged checks. Farmington Bank assumed the role of Victim. 6. On November 12, 2010, I received a phone call from Elke Kuhr. She informed me of a message she received on her answering machine from Joseph Mantini. She said Maintini had apologized to her. She said Mantini was crying during the message. 7. On November 16, 2010, I went to the Kuhr residence located at 577 Woodruff Street. I met with Elke Kuhr. Using a Sony ICD-ST10 Digital recorder, I was able to capture a recording of the message on the Kuhr's answering machine. Kuhr advised me the date and time were not correct on her answering machine. Kuhr said the message was left sometime between 0930 hours and 1100 hours on November 12, 2010. I returned to Southington Police Headquarters. I transferred the recording from the Sony Digital recorder to a Staples Brand CD-R. The CD-R was then entered into the Southington Police Department Evidence System. The CD-R was packaged and placed into the Southington Police Evidence Lockers. 8. On November 17, 2010, I transcribed the message from Elke Kuhr's answering machine. The following is a transcription of the message (Not Verbatum): "Hi Elke, Its Joe. Umm .. I just wanted you to know that.. umm.. I'm truly sorry. 1..1 did .. umm.. what you pretty much know I did. Umm, I admit it. Ummm, I have been battling addiction issues for years. I've done this before in North Haven. Umm, I called a North Haven cop who had got me last time, I admitted it to him. He wanted me to talk to you to see if you called and had a detective's name there in Southington. I'm assuming you already put this in with the cops. Umm, I don't want you to spend more money on insurance or detectives or Steve. I did this and umm, umm. I can't tell you how sorry I am. I'm sorry. Umm.. but as you know it was really stupid, and ah I couldn't control it cause I's paying for it now. But.. ah.. I just wanted you to know I am sorry. And you, you have been great to me and I love you guys and I am really sorry." 9. On November 18, 2010, I received an email from Mark Harris the Vice President Investigator II - Corporate Security of Bank of America. The email contained a seven (7) page Fraud Statement of Claimant form for Evergreen Nursery Account #003852872195. The checks were drawn on Evergreen Nursery's Bank of America Account #003852872195. The form listed thirty-nine (39) Evergreen Nursery checks that were reported as having the Signature Forged. The total reported loss incurred to Evergreen Nursery was $13,561.07. There was no reported repayment to Evergreen Nursery by Bank of America. I was subsequently informed that Bank of American would not be paying the claim to Evergreen Nursery. The thirty-nine(39) checks that were reported fraudulent are listed below:
(This is page 2 of a 7 page Affidavit,) Signed (Affiant)
Date
':i:~UbIiC)
Jurat
fj../if, Date
I . J..,-( , I \
ARREST WA.RRANT APPUCATION JD~CR~64a
Rev CG.S. ยง 54-2a Pr. Bk. Sec. 36-1. 36-2. 36-3
STATE OF CONNECTICUT SUPERIOR COURT www.jud.ct.gov
Name (Last. First. Middle Initial)
Residence (Town) of accused
Court to be held at (I own)
MANTINI, Joseph M.
Cheshire
Bristol
Affidavit - Continued Check Number
2836 2846 2853 2857 2865 2874 2879 2881 2886 2888 2889 2894 2899 2905 2909 2934 2935 2936 2938 2944 2948 2949 2956 2958 2961 2964 2965 2967 2968 2973 2977 2981 2989 2991 2995 2998 3000 3002 3007
Amount
$385.00 $325.00 $275.00 $290.00 $275.00 $400.00 $135.00 $390.00 $415.00 $175.00 $132.50 $417.50 $390.00 $290.00 $432.50 $432.50 $718.32 $577.25 $142.50 $367.00 $165.00 $137.50 $422.50 $227.50 $312.50 $312.50 $327.50 $367.75 $120.50 $422.50 $241.75 $427.50 $539.50 $118.50 $364.50 $416.00 $557.50 $557.50 $557.50
Payable To Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini
(This is page 3 of a 7 page Affidavit.) Date
Signed (Affiant)
f' Signed (
Jurat
Check Date
Endorsed By
7/22/2010 7/24/2010 8/4/2010 8/10/2010 8/13/2010 8/17/2010 . 8/20/2010 8/24/2010 8/30/2010 8/31/2010 9/1/2010 9/3/2010 9/7/2010 9/8/2010 9/10/2010 9/13/2010 9/15/2010 9/17/2010 9/17/2010 9/23/2010 9/24/2010 9/28/2010 10/1/2010 10/4/2010 10/6/2010 10/6/2010 10/9/2010 10/12/2010 10/13/2010 10/14/2010 10/12/2010 10/18/2010 10/21/2010 10/22/2010 10/25/2010 10/27/2010 10/28/2010 10/29/2010 11/2/2010
Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini
Geographical Area number
17
ARREST WARRANT APPLICATION JO-CR-64a Rev. 1-11 CG S. ยง 54-2a Pr. Bk. Sec. 36-1. 36-2. 36-3
STATE OF CONNECTICUT SUPERIOR COURT www.jud.ct.gov
Name (Last, First. Middle Initial)
Residence (Town) of accused
Court to be held at ( lawn)
MANTINI, Joseph M.
Cheshire
Bristol
Geographical Area number
17
Affidavit - Continued 10. On November 24, 2010, I met with William Greger of Farmington Bank. William Greger provided a revised written statement detailing his investigation of the Evergreen Nursery check forgeries. The twenty-one checks were all payable to Joseph M. Mantini. The checks were signed "Elke E. Kuhr" which was not the correct signature of Elke B.Kuhr. It appeared the checks were endorsed by Mantini and cashed at either Peoples (United) Bank or at Connecticut State Check Cashing Service in New Britain, CT. The checks were drawn on Evergreen Nursery's Farmington Bank Account #20401637. The statement included a revised figure for the reimbursment to Evergreen Nursery. The total reimbursement provided by Farmington Bank to Evergreen Nursery was $6,082.25. The twenty-one(21) checks that were report fraudulent are listed below: Check Number
Amount
1398 1401 1414 1417 1422 1443 1452 1464 1475 1478 1486 1490 1494 1496 1499 1505 1507 1513 1528 1531 1532
$100.00 $275.00 $200.00 $175.00 $225.00 $175.00 $250.00 $200.00 $115.00 $250.00 $358.00 $531.00 $290.00 $250.00 $518.50 $312.50 $312.50 $426.75 $320.50 $316.50 $481.00
Payable To Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini
Check Date
Endorsed By
5/10/2010 6/22/2010 5/19/2010 5/24/2010 5/27/2010 6/2/2010 6/7/2010 6/18/2010 6/28/2010 6/29/2010 7/20/2010 7/20/2010 8/20/2010 9/2/2010 9/15/2010 9/29/2010 9/30/2010 10/18/2010 10/22/2010 10/29/2010 11/2/2010
Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini Joseph Mantini
11. On November 29, 2010, I received an envelope/packet from Mark Harris the Vice President Investigator" Corporate Security of Bank of America. The packet contained copies of thirty-nine (39) Evergreen Nursery checks. I made working copies of the packet. The original envelope/packet was entered into the Southington Police Department Evidence System. The envelope/packet was packaged and placed into Southington Police Evidence Locker #1 O.
(This is page 4 of a 7 page Affidavit.) Date
Jurat
ARREST WARRANT APPLICATION JD-CR-64a Rev. 1-11 C. G S. ยง 54-2a Pr. Bk. Sec. 36-1 36-2. 36-3
STATE OF CONNECTICUT SUPERIOR COURT www.jud.ct.gov
Name (Last. First. Middle Initial)
Residence (Town) of accused
Court to be held at (lawn)
MANTINI, Joseph M.
Cheshire
Bristol
Geographical Area number
17
Affidavit - Continued 12. On November 29,2010, I spoke with Joseph Mantini via telephone. He informed me he would make arrangements to meet with me as soon as possible. He advised me he did not want Evergreen Nursery to spend any additional money on investigations. Mantini told me "I did it". Mantini advised me he had begun to set money aside to payback Evergreen Nursery. 13. On December 9, 2010, I went to the home of Joseph Mantini. Mantini had contacted me via telephone on December 8, 2010. Mantini stated he would speak with me at his residence on December 9, 2010. When I arrived at Mantini's residence of 862 Moss Farm Road in Cheshire, CT, Mantini invited me into the home. I spoke with Mantini at the kitchen counter of his home. Joseph Mantini agreed to provide me with a signed and sworn to written statement. The statement began at 1550 hours. Mantini was informed that should he not wish to continue speaking with me, he could ask me to leave his residence. Mantini said he wished to speak with me. 13a. Joseph Mantini stated he started working for Evergreen Nursery in early April of 2010. He was initially working under Account Temps. Mantini later became a sub contractor with Evergreen. He was then paid by Evergreen per hour. Mantini was employed as the accountant, but was more of an office manager. He took care of billing, receivables, payroll, quotes and contracts, among other duties. He was in charge of paying the bills and writing checks. Mantini was in charge of issuing his own payroll checks. Mantini generally worked Monday to Friday for about 32 to 35 hours. He was paid $18.00 per hour and averaged about $560.00 per week in salary. 13b. Mantini stated sometime in early May of 201 0, he had a relapse with a drug habit. Due to many different stressful incidents, he started using Percocets again. Mantini started writing Evergreen Nursery checks to himself that were not for work related business. He had a key to the safe at Evergreen Nursery where the Business checks were kept. During work hours, Mantini would fill out a check on his work computer. He would complete a check in the Quickbooks Program. He would make the check out to himself and print it. Mantini said he would sign Elke Kuhr's name on the check. Mantini would then go back into Quickbooks and delete the check out of the system so there was no record of the check. He would then adjust the balance in Quickbooks so it matched the actual bank statement. Mantini would go back to a year prior and make a journal entry in the Quickbooks to adjust the balance. It would adjust the book balance to equal the actual balance. 13c. In May of 2010, Mantini started to write checks for small amounts. The first few months he believed he wrote checks in the amount of $200.00 to $250.00. As the months progressed, he started to increase the amounts. Mantini said his drug habit increased and he needed more money to support his habit. He started writing checks for greater amounts of money. Mantini said he wrote checks from the Evergreen Nursery Farmington Bank and Bank of America Accounts. Mantini said he cashed the majority of the checks at a check cashing business in New Britain by the New Britain Police Department. Mantini also stated he would take some of the checks to People's Bank in Southington or Cheshire and cash them.
(This is page 5 of a 7 page Affidavit.) Date
Jurat
Signed (Affiant)
ARREST WARRANT APPLlCATION JD-CR-64a Rev. 1-11 CGS ยง 54-2a Pr. Bk. Sec. 36-1 36-2. 36-3
STATE OF CONNECTICUT SUPERIOR COURT www.jud.ct.gov
Name (Last, First. Middle Initial)
Residence (Town) of accused
Court to be held at (Town)
Geographical
MANTINI, Joseph M.
Cheshire
Bristol
Area number
17
Affidavit - Continued 13d. Mantini stated around the last week in September he realized he needed to get help for his addiction. He knew he needed to get caught. He started writing checks for a few hundred dollars each. Mantini eventually stopped adjusting the books and deleting the checks. He continued writing checks to himself, and wrote two in one day. Mantini stated he did not keep track of how much money he took and did not remember how many checks he wrote. 13e. Mantini said on November 3, 2010 he was confronted by Fred Kuhr. Kuhr asked Mantini about two checks he had written out. Mantini told Kuhr there must have been a bank error. At that point Mantini said he was afraid of being caught. Mantini finished work that day. Mantini said the next day he called Fred Kuhr. Mantini was told the computers were not working and not to come to work. Mantini was told he would be called when the computers were working again. Mantini knew he was about to get in trouble. Mantini stated he had intentions of paying back the last two checks he wrote. He had borrowed $600.00 from a friend to deposit into Evergreen's account. 13f. Mantini stated he was very sorry for what he did at Evergreen Nursery. He would like to pay the money back. Mantini said he has a addiction to Percocets and needs help overcoming his addiction. Mantini stated he needs a strong treatment program. Mantini said prior Detox and Outpatient treatment did not work and he needs help getting into a drug treatment program. Mantini stated he takes full responsibility for his actions. He realizes he needs help with his addiction. 14. On December 14, 2010 Joseph Stapleton, the Price Chopper Fraud Investigator, reported that an Evergreen Nursery check had been cashed at the Southington Police Chopper store on November 4, 2010. The check was rejected by the bank and returned to Price Chopper unpaid and stamped "CLOSED ACCOUNT." 15. Stapleton came to the Southington Police Department and provided a packet containing a CD-R, copies of the returned check, video surveillance still images of the suspect, and a Sworn Statement from Stapleton. The Statement detailed that on November 4, 2010 at 8:21 am a person that identified themselves as Joseph M. Mantini presented and cashed a business/payroll check #1533 in the amount of $95.00 at the Southington Price Chopper 410 Queen Street Southington, CT 06489. The check was purportedly drawn on a Framington Savings Bank (Farmington Bank) account #20401637 under the business name of Evergreen Nursery at P.O. Box 638 Southington, CT 06489. The check was rejected by the bank and returned to Price Chopper unpaid and stamped "CLOSED ACCOUNT". The owner of the company Elke B. Kuhr informed Stapleton that the account was closed because several checks had been stolen and that the check was stolen and forged. The check (#1533) is a forged instrument. 16. Stapleton further stated that Joseph M. Mantini used a Price Chopper Advantedge check-cashing card #4075082323 as identification when presenting and cashing the stolen and forged check (#1533) at Price Chopper. According to Stapleton's statement, Price Chopper's records show that the check-cashing card was issued to a "Joseph M. Martin of 862 Moss Farm Rd. Cheshire CT. 06410". "Joseph M. Martin" used a "CTS"(Connecticut State) Driver 10 #034253311 as identification when he applied for his check-cashing card on 07-12-10 at Schenectady NY. Price Chopper has suffered a financial loss of $115.00 as a result of the alleged fraudulent activity. (It should be noted that in Joseph Stapleton's statement, the information he provided for the Advantedge check-cashing card listed "Joseph M. MARTIN" as the owner of the card) (This is page 6 of a 7 page Affidavit.) Date
Jurat
Signed (Affiant)
ARREST WARRANT APPUCA TION JD-CR-64a Rev. 1-11 e.G.s. § 54-2a Pro Bk. Sec. 36-1, 36-2, 36-3
STATE OF CONNECTiCUT SUPERIOR COURT www.jud.ct.gov
Name (Last, First, Middle Ini/ial)
Residence (Town) of accused
Court to be held at (I own)
MANTINI, Joseph M.
Cheshire
Bristol
Geographical Area number
17
Affidavit - Continued 17. I viewed the video surveillance still images of the suspect provided by Stapleton, I immediately recognized the individual as Joseph M. Mantini who I personally interviewed on December 9, 2010. 18. Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicle records list Connecticut Driver License #034253311 as belonging to Joseph M. Mantini d.o.b. 03-30-1963 of 862 Moss Farm Road in Cheshire, CT 06410. Connecticut Driver License number #034253311 is the same number that was written on Check #1533 received by Price Chopper. 19. On January 5, 2011, I contacted the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles and requested a Driver License Photo for Joseph Mantini (#034253311). I received the photo on the same date. The photo was of the same Joseph Mantini that I personally interviewed on December 9, 2010. I compared the Driver License photo with the Price Chopper video surveillance still images of the suspect. I was able to positively identify the male in the Price Chopper video surveillance still images from November 4, 2010 as Joseph Mantini. 20. This investigation revealed that Joseph Mantini did write twenty-one (21) Evergreen Nursery checks payable to himself. Through his own admission, Mantini forged Elke Kuhr's signature on the checks. He then signed and cashed the checks. The checks were drawn on Evergreen Nursery's Farmington Bank Account #20401637. Farmington Bank reimbursed Evergreen Nursery $6,082.25, thus making Farmington Bank the Victim. Joseph Mantini did write thirty-nine(39) Evergreen Nursery checks payable to himself. Through his own admission, Mantini forged Elke Kuhr's signature on the checks. He then signed and cashed the checks. The checks were drawn on Evergreen Nursery's Bank of America Account #003852872195. The total loss incurred to Evergreen Nursery was $13,561.07. Investigation revealed Evergreen Nursery Check#1533, provided by Stapleton, showed it was labeled "CLOSED ACCOUNT" with a Return Reason of Closed Account. The check was dated 11/3/2010. I observed that the Price Chopper employee had written "CTDL 034523311 3/30/63-2015" on the face of the check. The rear of the check contained the signature of Joseph M. Mantini. The "CTDL 034523311" is the Connecticut Driver License Number belonging to Joseph M. Mantini. The "3/30/63" is Joseph M. Mantini's date of birth. The "2015" is the expiration date of Mantini's Connecticut Driver License. This is the same Joseph Mantini shown in the video surveillance still images and who I interviewed on December 9, 2010. Joseph Mantini wrote a total of Sixty-one (61) Evergreen Nursery checks to himself. In total, a monetary loss of $19,758.32 was incurred. 21. Based upon the facts and circumstances listed above, this Affiant respectfully requests the issuance of an arrest warrant for the above named accused, MANTINI, Joseph M. (d.o.b.03/30/1963) of 862 Moss Farm Road Cheshire, CT 06410, who did commit the folloWing violation(s) of the Connecticut General Statutes: 53a-122 Larceny in the First Degree and Sixty-one (61) Counts of 53a-138-Forgery in the First Degree and as stated, between May 10, 2010 and November 4, 2010 in Southington, CT.
(This is page 7 of a 7 page Affidavit.) Date
Signed (Affiant)
i I. ' [ J aL 1(" Subscribed ahd sworn to before me on (Date)
Jurat Date
( ~2'1- q
Signed (
'. Notary Public)
#11. ~)J>f:Âť