Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles grants pardons to 31 applicants, continues two cases

The Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles granted absolute pardons to 31 applicants and continued two cases at a hearing held remotely Oct. 1, 2025, chairperson Jennifer Medina Zaccagnini said.

The board met by Zoom and live-streamed the session. Applicants appeared with counsel or on their own, gave brief statements and answered questions about their records, sobriety and post-conviction rehabilitation. The Office of Victim Services provided victim input in multiple cases. The board’s votes are tentative pending final record checks by the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Identification, the hearing coordinator warned.

Why this matters: An absolute pardon, if finalized after record verification, can result in the erasure of a Connecticut criminal conviction from public records, a change that can affect employment, professional licensing, housing and other background-check outcomes. The board repeatedly cautioned applicants that granted pardons are not exonerations and are not final until state record checks are completed.

Board action and notable cases

The board’s agenda included more than three dozen applications. The panel granted absolute pardons in the following matters (summary list and vote):

Votes at a glance

- Gerald Migliaro — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Attorney Selson spoke for the applicant; Mr. Migliaro told the board he regretted his actions and described the lasting impact of the victim’s death. Chair Jennifer Medina Zaccagnini announced the grant. (Vote recorded as unanimous.)

- John Green — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Attorney Gordon Vidal and Mr. Green appeared. The board probed inconsistencies between Mr. Green’s police statements and later recantations; the victim’s family provided a direct statement expressing continuing pain and concern, then said they would leave the decision to the board. Board members discussed the long passage of time since the conviction, the applicant’s post‑conviction work in recovery and community service, and the family’s statements before voting to grant. (Vote recorded as unanimous.)

- Onyx Matos — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Attorney Jamie Bell highlighted a long period of sobriety and steady work; the board discussed earlier DUI-related incidents and the applicant’s ongoing recovery supports. (Unanimous vote.)

- Edward Liley — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Victim input relayed by the Office of Victim Services supported the applicant’s change in behavior since the offense. (Unanimous vote.)

- Corin Litke — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Counsel and the applicant described substance‑use history and sustained recovery. (Unanimous vote.)

- Matthew Devines — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Counsel described long-ago offenses and recent community leadership; board discussed program participation. (Unanimous vote.)

- Mikkel/Mikael Estep — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Counsel and a law student intern appeared; the board noted a supportive letter from the victim. (Unanimous vote.)

- Kenneth Bryant — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Counsel noted sobriety since 2010 and vocational training; board voted to grant. (Unanimous vote.)

- Michael Shambrello — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant described childhood instability, a later traumatic brain injury and long-term stability; board discussed community involvement. (Unanimous vote.)

- Darren Cochran — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant told the board he had 9 years clean from hard drugs and 6 years from alcohol and described lost employment opportunities tied to his record. (Unanimous vote.)

- Fazida (Fazita) Hassan Lofgren — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Counsel and the applicant described long-term treatment and employment barriers; the board confirmed a protective order remained in place and that the applicant reports no contact with the protected person. (Unanimous vote.)

- Jabez Gentles — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant described community volunteering and employment stability. (Unanimous vote.)

- Luis Santiago Jr. — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant described schooling, CDL training and a desire to support his family. (Unanimous vote.)

- Michelle Arquette — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant said she has been sober since 2013 and described steady employment; board noted public-safety considerations are still relevant for travel and certain job applications until the record is cleared. (Unanimous vote.)

- David Benjamin — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant cited community work and a recent cancer diagnosis that prompted reflection on legacy. (Unanimous vote.)

- Dwayne Brown Jr. — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant described a youthful involvement in a violent incident and long-term sobriety and employment since release. (Unanimous vote.)

- Gerard Gaskin — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant described recent stable work as a CDL driver and prior domestic violence programming; the board discussed rehabilitation and employment barriers. (Unanimous vote.)

- Jeffrey Gilmore — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Office of Victim Services reported the victim supports pardon. (Unanimous vote.)

- Daryl Givens — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant described steady employment, church involvement and sole custody of a young child. (Unanimous vote.)

- Jack Guidi Jr. — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant described recovery and steady employment after earlier substance-related convictions. (Unanimous vote.)

- Justice Hairston — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant coaches youth sports and described community outreach. (Unanimous vote.)

- Fitzroy Jackson — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant, who was deported and later returned, described farming and family caretaking responsibilities. (Unanimous vote.)

- Wayne Malburn — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant described long-term sobriety and steady employment as a plant operations manager. (Unanimous vote.)

- Sequoia Mason — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant described a CDL and the effect of the record on contracts and military‑adjacent work. (Unanimous vote.)

- Faye Nicholas — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant is studying to be a drug and alcohol counselor and described recovery and employment. (Unanimous vote.)

- Lisa Murphy Lacombe — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant described nearly 20 years sober and current work in health care, and said a pardon would clear barriers to advancing in nursing. (Unanimous vote.)

- Mark Pantalone — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant said he owns a remodeling business and had earlier alcohol-related problems; board cautioned about relapse risk and encouraged supports. (Unanimous vote.)

- Robert Roy — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant acknowledged a decades-old sexual-assault-related offense, described remorse and business and hiring record since. (Unanimous vote.)

- Frederick Sharp — absolute pardon granted (unanimous). Applicant is a union lineman and volunteer firefighter; he said a pardon would expand emergency-response and employment options. (Unanimous vote.)

Continued

- Robert Lernard (name pronunciation not confirmed) — one-time continuance to next month at applicant’s attorney request (unanimous).

- Raymond Ramos — one-time continuance to next month; applicant’s counsel said they did not receive notice for today’s hearing (unanimous).

Board discussion and evidence: themes and questions

Board members frequently asked applicants about substance use on the night of offenses, participation in relapse‑prevention or domestic‑violence programs, and whether victims had been contacted. Several applicants described long periods of sobriety and active work in recovery programs, and the board repeatedly cited the passage of time, sustained employment and community involvement as positive factors. In cases with victim input — most notably John Green — the board balanced victim statements and family harm against applicants’ rehabilitation efforts when deciding to grant pardons.

Quotations drawn from the hearing include applicant Gerald Migliaro telling the board, "The death of my daughter, Annie, has been a nightmare," and applicant John Green saying, "I regret ever being in the incident." Chairperson Jennifer Medina Zaccagnini reminded applicants at the start that "the granting of a pardon is neither a finding of innocence nor an exoneration of your crime."

Next steps and administrative notes

Hearing coordinator Proliviser Dickey told applicants that any grant is tentative until the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Identification completes record checks and confirms erasure of public records; the board said final certificates will be mailed once checks are complete. The board also reminded applicants that pardons do not automatically clear third‑party internet or private background‑check results.

The board recessed briefly during the session and concluded the hearing at approximately 1:08 p.m.; records of today’s tentative grants will be posted on the board’s website after state record checks are complete.

Ending

The board left the record open to process the routine administrative steps required to finalize any pardons. Applicants whose pardons were granted were told to expect an email and a mailed certificate once the Connecticut State Police verify the changes. Several board members urged applicants to maintain recovery supports and positive community ties while the record‑clearing process completes.