Multiple felony charges for former top GOP lawyer in Conn. Senate

A former top attorney for the state Senate Republican caucus who was fired after he was charged with stealing nearly $270,000 from a political action committee, was arrested Thursday on multiple counts of forgery and identity theft.

The new allegations are connected with real estate and refinancing documents.

Michael J. Cronin of Avon, 57 faces 26 counts of second-degree forgery and 12 counts of identity theft, according to the state Division of Criminal Justice, which alleges that the offenses were related to his divorce from his first wife.

Cronin is awaiting trial on the previous charge, so prosecutors added the charge of committing an offense while on release from custody, following his February 2019 arrest on charges he stole $267,800 from the Senate Republicans’ PAC for his personal use.

Cronin, a longtime legal adviser to Republican state senators, was treasurer the of the PAC, the state Senate Republican

Leadership Committee.

Prosecutors also charge that Cronin forged the signature of an attorney on a financial statement in a divorce from his second wife.

The Division of Criminal Justice said Cronin appeared Thursday in Hartford Superior Court where a judge set bond at $200,000. The Superior Court website did not list the case early

Thursday night, so it wss unclear whether Cronin was released on bail.

Prosecutors said second-degree forgery is a Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine up to $5,000. Second degree identity theft is also a Class D felony. The charge of committing an offense while on release could result in a prison term of up to 10 years for a felony.

Cronin’s pending first-degree larceny case is scheduled for Nov. 12 in Hartford Superior Court.