Connecticut pardons session: Board grants 24 pardons, denies 3 and continues 1 case

The Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles held an absolute-pardon session March 5, 2025, and voted to grant full pardons to 24 applicants, deny three petitions and continue one matter to April 2, 2025. The hearing was conducted by Zoom and presided over by Chair Deborah Smith Palmeri.

The board opened by reminding applicants that any pardon granted is tentative until record checks are finished by the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Identification, a process that can take up to about 10 weeks. Chair Deborah Smith Palmeri said the board was “committed to conducting this hearing as smoothly as possible” and reiterated that pardons issued at the meeting remain subject to final administrative clearance.

Why it matters: Pardons can remove legal barriers to employment, housing and travel. The board repeatedly balanced that potential benefit against victim impact, public-safety concerns and evidence of rehabilitation, asking applicants about sobriety, counseling, community ties and stable work.

What the board decided and why: The board approved most applications where members found sustained rehabilitation, stable employment and community involvement. Several approvals were unanimous; a handful drew a dissenting vote, and three petitions were denied after members said the applicants’ histories remained too extensive or the applicants had not shown sufficient sustained remediation.

Victim statements and board questioning shaped several outcomes. In the case of Joseph Michael Sabat, the board heard two emotional victim statements recounting a 1994 fatal crash; the board voted to grant the pardon with one member dissenting. In other cases, board members pressed applicants about alcohol or drug treatment, participation in cognitive or domestic-violence programming, and recent behavior under supervision.

Next steps and administrative notes: Any pardon granted at the hearing is conditional until the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Identification reports that record checks and erasure steps have been completed. The board advised applicants that certificates of pardon will be mailed after those checks finish, and that removals from third-party internet background searches cannot be guaranteed by the board.

Votes at a glance

- Continued: Matthew Richard Brand — Continued to 2025-04-02 by unanimous vote (motion by Chair Deborah Smith Palmeri).

- Denied: Brianna Alexis Torres — Motion to deny carried (denial recorded by the board; transcript shows members cited minimization of responsibility and seriousness of offense). Outcome: denied.

- Denied: Derek Lee Bryant Sr. — Motion to deny carried; board cited length and seriousness of criminal history; outcome: denied.

- Denied: Carol K. Gooden — Motion to deny carried; board cited ongoing concerns about alcohol history and inconsistent application details; outcome: denied.

- Granted (full and absolute pardons): Adrianne Oquenda Rivera; Jawara (Matitsi) Gale; Joseph Michael Sabat; Matitsi Jawara (same matter recorded earlier as Jawara Gale); Thomas Jeffrey Way; Daniel Stephen Williams; Antonio Cruz; Stefan (Stefon) Michael Petrone; Elmar Sterling Shakir; Ian Brent Watson; Curtis Lamont Miller; Daniel Jonathan Sharp; Steven (Stephen) Camiri; Terrence Marquis Cromwell; Brandon P. Elko; Joseph (Ivanich/Evanich) (record shows victims supported); Akhil Hassan Jones; Jerome Mack; Pedro L. Ocasio Sr.; Jose Alberto Otero; Mark S. Palio Jr.; Ronaldo Rivera; Steven Ernest Ruggiero; David Streep; Nicole Worley. (See notes below for votes and notable context; most grants were unanimous, several had a single dissenting vote.)

Notable details from selected hearings

- Joseph Michael Sabat (granted): The board heard victim-family statements describing the 1994 crash that killed a teen. Members acknowledged Sabat’s long recovery work and sobriety but recorded a dissent; the pardon was granted with two board members voting yes and one no. The board noted Sabat’s volunteer and legislative advocacy since his conviction.

- Brianna Alexis Torres (denied): Board members said they were not satisfied she had fully acknowledged the seriousness of her role in a 2018 robbery involving multiple participants. The application was denied on grounds that the offense’s severity would be diminished by erasure.

- Derek Bryant (denied): The board cited the length and seriousness of Bryant’s record and multiple supervision violations as reasons to deny a pardon at this time.

- Several applicants whose files showed long periods without new convictions, stable employment, community service or caregiving responsibilities received unanimous support (examples include Pedro Ocasio Sr., Elmar Shakir, Ian Watson and others).

What the board said about process

Chair Deborah Smith Palmeri and the hearing coordinator reminded applicants at the start that pardons granted at the hearing are tentative until final record checks are completed by the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Identification and that it may take several weeks before certificates are mailed. The board cautioned applicants not to claim their records are erased until they have received official notification.

Summary and next watch points

The board’s decisions demonstrate its focus on long-term rehabilitation, stable community ties and documented treatment or sobriety when weighing pardons. Denials centered on either extensive criminal histories or applicants’ failure, in the board’s view, to fully accept responsibility for the conduct that led to conviction. Several cases included victims’ statements that board members specifically noted when announcing their votes. Applicants who were denied were informed they may reapply in the future.

Ending note: The board closed the session after completing the docket and recording motions and votes for each case. Applicants granted pardons will receive certificates by mail after state identification and record-clearance checks are complete; the board cautioned that online third-party records may continue to show convictions even after state erasure is finished.