Norwalk Police Officer Charged With Trespassing In Fairfield: PD

NORWALK, CT — A Norwalk police officer was recently arrested in connection with a Fairfield incident that occurred in May, according to law enforcement.

Nelson Figueroa, 36, of the 700 block of Belden Avenue in Norwalk, is charged with first-degree trespassing and second-degree breach of peace after Fairfield police received a report May 12 that Figueroa was refusing to leave a Center Street property, authorities said.

The residents of the home told law enforcement that Figueroa came to their house looking for his girlfriend and wouldn’t leave, according to Fairfield police, who said when officers arrived at the address they found Figueroa speaking to a man in the driveway. Figueroa was off-duty at the time, Norwalk police confirmed.

Officers took Figueroa into custody May 14, and he is free on a promise to appear in court, Fairfield police said. Figueroa has yet to enter a plea and his next court date is set for Aug. 4, according to court records.

“It remains to be seen precisely what occurred that day and whether or not the law was violated,” said Eugene Riccio, Figueroa’s attorney.

The Norwalk Police Department initially placed Figueroa on administrative leave following his arrest, but he returned to work after an investigation, according to Lt. Joseph Dinho.

“We were made aware of the arrest when it occurred,” Dinho said in an email. “We will be monitoring the court case and will conduct an internal investigation once the case is adjudicated.”

Figueroa is not the first Norwalk officer to be arrested in 2020.

Officers Michael Dimeglio and Sara Laudano were arrested in January on charges of second-degree larceny and second-degree reckless endangerment, authorities said at the time of the arrests. Laudano was also charged with risk of injury to a minor. Dimeglio and Laudano were found by supervisors while on duty in a hotel room, after they had been drinking and ignoring police calls, according to authorities.