Warrant: Suspended state trooper used police computer system to help girlfriend ID informant
A Connecticut State Police trooper who has been suspended since January was arrested Wednesday after officials say he used the agency’s computer system to help his girlfriend access confidential information associated with a case involving the father of her child, an arrest warrant said.
In January, state police said trooper Mitchell Paz was suspended for an “internal matter,” but did not indicate he was the subject of a state and federal criminal investigation.
But court documents released Wednesday revealed that state police at that point were already investigating whether Paz allowed Amanda Marino, 32, of the Terryville section of Plymouth, to access the computer in his cruiser to look up information for her child’s father who had been arrested by state police on drug charges.
Based on the information she learned from Paz’s computer, Marino provided her child’s father, Shawn Roka, 32, of Watertown, with details of the investigation into his illegal drug activities, which likely allowed him to conclude who had acted as a confidential source for police, the warrant said. It also jeopardized undercover detectives, the warrant said.
Paz was placed on leave on Jan. 9 when the allegations surfaced, state police said. He has been suspended with pay and an internal affairs investigation has started, state police said. The agency has also made a referral to have Paz decertified as a police officer through the state’s Police Officer Standards and Training Council, officials said.
He was charged Wednesday with two counts of third-degree computer crimes and two counts of conspiracy to commit third-degree computer crimes. He was released after posting $15,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned March 29 in state Superior Court in New Britain.
Roka was charged with conspiracy to commit third-degree computer crimes and Marino was charged with two counts of third-degree computer crimes and conspiracy to commit third-degree computer crimes as part of the investigation.
Roka was arrested by investigators from Troop A on Dec. 19 for more than a dozen offenses, including operating a drug factory, illegal transfer of a revolver, possession of 1 kilogram or more of cannabis, stealing a firearm, possession with intent to sell narcotics and possession with intent to sell cocaine, court records show.
Roka had been under investigation since August and was arrested on Dec. 19 when police executed search warrants at his Watertown home and his business, court documents said. During the investigation, Marino could be seen driving to Roka’s home in a gray Audi registered to Paz, the warrant said.
At the time, Paz was assigned to Troop G in Bridgeport and was not made aware of the investigation involving Roka, state police said in the warrant.
“There was no valid reason” why Paz would access any of the reports related to Roka, the warrant said.
State police received a tip in January that Marino used Paz’s state police laptop in his cruiser to access the Roka reports, according to the warrant. The information in the reports jeopardized the safety of a confidential informant and undercover officers, state police said.
Investigators were able to trace Paz’s use of the computer system and that he accessed the files pertaining to the Roka investigation, state police said.
The warrant said the Roka investigation information was accessed on Paz’s computer while he was off-duty.
As part of the investigation into Paz’s activities, state police executed another search warrant at Roka’s home on Jan. 11, leading to a third drug arrest. Roka told investigators he didn’t conspire with Marino to get the information from Paz’s computer, but did take a photo of the notes she compiled, the warrant said.
State police also found text messages between Marino and Roka discussing the possible identities of the confidential informant, the warrant said. Marino told investigators
she didn’t know how to use Paz’s work laptop or access the system, leading them to believe the trooper had used the system with Marino nearby so she could gather the information, the warrant said.
Paz was hired as a state police trooper in 2015, according to documents in his personnel file.
He had no disciplinary actions or commendations in his file as of Jan. 17, which was eight days after he was suspended.