Attorney General Tries To Revoke, Reduce Sanford's Pension

After being sentenced last month to five years in jail, suspended after three months, Redding's former highway superintendent is now facing a motion filed by Connecticut's attorney general which seeks to revoke or reduce his pension.

In a complaint filed Monday, Attorney General George Jepsen seeks to revoke or reduce the pension due to Bruce Sanford, who was employed by the town of Redding from July 1990 to July 2011 when he resigned following his arrest for the alleged larceny of more than $20,000 from the town.

Sanford allegedly used the funds taken from the town to repair parts of an antique truck he owned as well as a lawn mower. He also sold trucks belonging to the town and kept the proceeds.

“Theft from a municipality or the state is a serious violation of the public trust,” said Attorney General Jepsen. “Taxpayers should not be responsible for the pension of someone who is found or pleads guilty to stealing public funds. Under state law, my office has the authority to seek to revoke or reduce a public pension when a state or municipal official is convicted of a crime related to their position and, as such, we are exercising that authority in filing this action.” 

In 2011, Sanford had originally pleaded not guilty to various charges, but later pleaded guilty to larceny in the first degree. 

A full copy of the complaint can be seen here.