Former New Britain Resident Pleads Guilty To Violating Federal Sex Offender Registration And Notification Act

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CHRISTOPHER T. AGRITELLY, 30, formerly of New Britain, Conn., and Tempe, Ariz., pleaded guilty yesterday in Hartford federal court to failing to register as a sex offender.

The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), which was passed by Congress in 2006 as part of the Adam Walsh Act, provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States and seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs.  In part, SORNA requires registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in September 2007, AGRITELLY was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court in New Britain of first degree sexual abuse and was sentenced to a term of incarceration of 15 years, execution suspended, seven years to serve, followed by 15 years of probation and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration.  When he was released from prison in February 2013, AGRITELLY was informed of his registration obligations under SORNA.

AGRITELLY initially complied with Connecticut Sex Offender Registry requirements while he resided in New Britain after his release from prison.  However, in August 2013, he failed to respond to an address verification request and a subsequent Notice of Violation sent by the Sex Offender Registry Unit.

AGRITELLY also failed to report to his state probation officer and the state obtained an arrest warrant for him for a violation of the terms and conditions of his probation.

On January 29, 2014, AGRITELLY was arrested by law enforcement in Tempe, Ariz., pursuant to the probation violation warrant issued in Connecticut.  He never registered as a sex offender in Arizona.

AGRITELLY has been detained since his arrest.  He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson on February 27, 2014, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov