Judge: Michelle Troconis must stay in state if she posts bond
STAMFORD — A Superior Court judge on Thursday ordered Michelle Troconis to remain in Connecticut if she posts a $6 million bond.
Nearly two weeks after being convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in the death and disappearance of Jennifer Dulos, Troconis appeared remotely from York Correctional Institution, donning handcuffs and an orange prison jumper, before Judge Gary White.
The hearing focused on a recent motion by Assistant State's Attorney Elizabeth Moran that sought to modify Troconis' conditions of release, despite defense attorney Jon Schoenhorn's claims that his client has “no present ability” to post the bond.
In the motion, Moran asked the court to order Troconis to remain in Connecticut and to undergo intensive probation services should she post bond. The motion also asked the judge to order Troconis to surrender any active or expired passports.
On Thursday, Moran argued that Troconis had provided bail commissioners with an address in Miami Beach, Fla., which she said concerned prosecutors.
“That, of course, caused concerns with the state given that we sought to revoke the defendant's bond after conviction based on her lack of ties to Connecticut and her ties outside of Connecticut and outside of the country,” Moran said.
Moran said the state “would not be able to properly monitor” Troconis if she did not live in Connecticut, though bail commissioner Shereen Webley later contradicted her, saying they have done so in the past and would be able to in the future.
Schoenhorn claimed that requiring Troconis to live in Connecticut should she post bond was “unconstitutional.”
“I don't know why we're having this hearing. It is a complete waste of time,” Schoenhorn said. “These issues were raised with Judge (Kevin) Randolph the date of the verdict. We stated on the record and both Your Honor and Judge Randolph knew that Ms. Troconis no longer lived in Connecticut.”
Despite Schoenhorn's objections, White granted all of the
modifications requested by the state.
“I’m persuaded by the state’s argument and I’m going to grant the motion,” White said before adding that Troconis must also post bond in court, which neither Schoenhorn nor Moran objected to.
The hearing comes about a week after Schoenhorn filed two motions: one asking the judge for a post-trial acquittal and another requesting a new trial.
On March 1, a jury convicted Troconis, 49, of all six counts she faced: Conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of conspiracy to tamper with physical evidence, two counts of tampering with physical evidence and one count of seconddegree hindering prosecution.
Troconis, who is being held in lieu of a $6 million bond, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 31. She faces a maximum prison term between 20 years (if her sentences run concurrently) and 50 years (if her sentences run consecutively).
Schoenhorn told Hearst Connecticut Media Group last week that even if Troconis were to post that bond, it will likely take a while to put together an adequate bond package.
Since Randolph increased Troconis’ bond by $4 million after the jury returned the guilty verdict, her family would have to contract with a bondsman for 7 percent of that amount — a payment of about $280,000, Schoenhorn said at the time. They also have the option of paying 10 percent to the court, which means $400,000 in cash, not assets such as real estate, according to Schoenhorn.
If Troconis is released on bond, Randolph ordered that she be under house arrest and GPS monitoring.
Troconis, 49, was accused of creating an alibi for her then-boyfriend Fotis Dulos on the day his estranged wife disappeared on May 24, 2019. Troconis was also accused of helping Fotis Dulos clean a pickup truck that police believe was used in the crime.
Troconis was first arrested on June 1, 2019, and charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and first-degree hindering prosecution. Those charges were related to the Hartford surveillance footage that captured her with Fotis Dulos making a series of stops along a 4-mile stretch of Albany Avenue the night Jennifer Dulos was reported missing, police said.
The second arrest occurred on Sept. 5, 2019. Troconis turned herself in to state police and was charged with tampering with evidence.
The third arrest occurred on Jan. 7, 2020, when police charged Fotis Dulos, Troconis and attorney Kent Mawhinney in connection with Jennifer Dulos’ homicide. Fotis Dulos faced new charges of murder and kidnapping, while Troconis and Mawhinney were each charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
In August 2020, the state filed more charges against Troconis, including two additional counts of conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence. Prosecutors also removed one charge of first-degree hindering prosecution and added a second-degree hindering prosecution charge.
Troconis is next scheduled to appear in court for a contempt hearing on March 21 regarding allegations that she displayed a sealed Dulos family custody report on her computer during her trial.