Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles grants pardons to more than 30 applicants after in-person hearing

The Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles granted full, absolute pardons to more than 30 applicants at an absolute‑pardon hearing conducted April 8, 2025 over Zoom, board Chairperson Raffaro Berry said at the outset of the session.

“The people of the state of Connecticut have vested the board of pardons and paroles with extraordinary power to grant pardons for convictions in the state,” Berry said, describing the board’s options and reminding applicants that a pardon is not an exoneration.

Why it matters: Pardons erase the state conviction record if and when the state police bureau of identification completes the clearance process, which can take several weeks, and they can remove licensing and employment barriers long associated with criminal records. The board’s calendar included a mix of long‑ago convictions where applicants and supporters described years of sustained rehabilitation, and a handful of more recent cases in which applicants described completed treatment and new employment or educational plans.

What the board did: After listening to applicants, counsel, victim advocates and limited victim statements the three‑member panel voted to grant full pardons in each listed matter. Many applicants had previously completed court‑ordered programs, paid restitution where applicable, and described years of stable employment, family support and community service. The board repeatedly cautioned applicants that pardons are “tentative” until state police record checks finish and that web or third‑party background traces may persist after a pardon is granted.

Notable cases and evidence - Ryan Tapp: The board heard a restorative‑justice report from Office of Victim Services staff and victims who said they supported the applicant after a March restorative meeting. Victim‑services staff member Jennifer Rossi told the board the March meeting was “very engaging, very respectful conversations” and said the three victims indicated they would support Tapp’s pardon. The board moved and voted to grant an absolute pardon for Tapp during the hearing.

- Restorative justice and victim input: The board repeatedly credited restorative or reconciliation efforts in individual cases. For example, in the Tapp matter the victims spoke on the record in support of the pardon; in other matters victim advocates relayed written statements or spoke with victims and summarized their positions for the panel.

- Long‑term rehabilitation: The majority of applicants described convictions from the 1990s and 2000s and presented records of steady employment, program completion, sobriety and family stability. Several applicants described continuing community service (mentoring, recovery work, volunteerism) or small‑business ownership.

Votes at a glance (motions, vote tallies and immediate outcomes) - Ryan Tapp — Motion to grant an absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Restorative justice meeting and victims’ support cited. - Oscar Bonilla — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Board noted restitution paid “a little over $4,000” per the record. - Jean Genest — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Board referenced reference letters, family reconciliation and long lapse since convictions. - Lord Tilly — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Board noted convictions clustered in the 1990s and long rehabilitation. - Michael Hurrell — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant read an extended statement of remorse; board noted letters from business partners. - Tracy Jimenez — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant described steady employment in the legal field. - Bernardo (Bernal) Garcia — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Single robbery conviction from mid‑2000s, long record of lawful conduct since. - Tosham (Tosham/Tsosham) Allen — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant described business struggles during COVID and long interval since conviction. - Anne Marie Gambardella — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Board highlighted certification and work in the recovery community and approximately 10 years sober. - Renee Sollner — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Victim input (family) included; board noted sobriety and ongoing community engagement. - Emmanuel Velez — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Earlier panel had paused on restitution; the board accepted evidence the obligation would require civil action by victims and moved to grant. - Joanne (Joani/Joni) Zayas — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant is two months from completing an educational program (Porter and Chester) and sought pardon to advance licensing/employment. - Ashley (Asheville) Laura — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Victim requested protective order remain in place; applicant accepted that condition. - Chadwick Adams — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Board noted long‑term volunteering with the Red Cross and completion of DV counseling and anger‑management programs. - Jose Agudo — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Panel discussed a longstanding registry failure tied to youth and later compliance. - Ronald Baker — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Multiple reference letters and employer statements were entered in support. - Jeffrey Bowser — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant described multiple DUI convictions in the past and recent recovery work at High Watch Recovery Center; board cited sustained sobriety and employment at Electric Boat. - Isaiah Colebrook — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant was 19 at the time of the offense, completed education and is employed working with children on the autism spectrum. - Luis (Jose) Cruz Pena — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant described sobriety beginning October 20, 2020, sponsorship activity and ongoing employment. - Jennifer DePonte — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Single early‑2000s family‑violence conviction; applicant has been working and seeks to resume education/employment. - Tamika Frini Small — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Victim input reported as supportive. - David Gelinas — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant runs a trucking business and has worked steadily since mid‑2000s. - Lonnie (Lanny) Groom — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Veteran with long sobriety and steady VA support services. - Ezekiel (Samuele) — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant completed probation and treatment programs; board cited long interval from earlier offenses. - Jordan Pagnotta — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant reported stable employment, homeownership and active parenting of three children, including a nonverbal child with special needs. - James Parley — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant reported 35 years of recovery work and leadership in fellowship. - James (Christopher) Paturas/Paturis — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant described 16 years’ sobriety and stable family life. - Joseph Raslavsky — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant steady employment 13 years; board noted long interval since last conviction. - Carlos Robinson — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant worked as a plumber for decades and completed probation in the mid‑2000s. - Kale (Kale Shade) — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant completed Evolve and parenting programs, described co‑parenting arrangement and diesel/mechanic work with CDL. - Vincent Uva — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant had convictions in his late teens/early 20s and described sustained sobriety and CDL employment; board noted special‑parole early termination and debated the public‑safety implications before a majority vote to grant. - William Warner — Grant full and absolute pardon: APPROVED (Berry: aye; Poole: aye; Palmeri: aye). Applicant was sentenced to lengthy incarceration for an assault; board noted program completion, restitution and community re‑entry efforts.

Cases continued or not heard: The board continued Abdul Jalil Shabazz to the May 13 docket to allow additional victim‑notification procedures; Omar Kennedy was declared ineligible for hearing due to a pending matter/conviction and was not heard.

What board members said: Chair Raffaro Berry opened by outlining the board’s authority and the procedural limits of pardons; other members repeatedly emphasized documented program completion, letters from employers and victims’ positions. Board member Deborah Smith Palmeri and member Michael Poole asked applicants follow‑up questions about sobriety, program compliance, community supports and any outstanding restitution.

Next steps and administrative notes: Pardons voted by the board at this hearing are tentative; each pardon remains subject to final clearance by the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Identification. The board reminded all applicants that any undisclosed arrests or changes since filing may revoke a tentative grant and that applicants will receive email or mailed notice of final decisions and certificates once state processing is complete.

Ending: The board closed the hearing after completing the docket and confirmed the May 13 continuance for the one continued case. The board emphasized that the issuance of certificates and state record erasure may take several weeks after final technical clearance.