NEW HAVEN – Shelton’s planning and zoning administrator, Richard Schultz, said he once received an envelope containing two tickets to a Broadway show, as well as approximately $200 in cash from Monty Blakeman, a Shelton developer. “I quickly handed it back,” Schultz said.
The city official said he was told by John Cook, that city’s inland/wetlands coordinator, and Robert Kulacz, the city engineer, that they received similar envelopes from Blakeman, but gave them back. “We compared our experiences and I believe them,” Schultz said.
The testimony came during the fourth day of Shelton developer James Botti’s trial on federal bribery, conspiracy and mail fraud charges.
Schultz said he heard Blakeman gave gifts to Planning & Zoning Commission members which possibly included a gift basket with cash inside.
“Did you ever ask James Botti if he ever gave out gifts,” Schultz was asked by U.S. Attorney Richard Schechter. “I don’t believe I asked him that, but he (Botti) volunteered that he never stooped to that level.”
Schultz said Botti did tell him he hired Mayor Mark A. Lauretti’s younger brother Luke as a favor to the mayor. “The mayor’s brother was out of work at the time and he knew he was doing the mayor a favor to give him gainful employment,” Schultz said.
On Monday, Schechter implicated the mayor while outlining his case against Botti, saying Lauretti was the “Public Official No. 1” in court documents, adding Lauretti received $20,000 in lumber and construction work on his home in 2002 from Botti.
—- By Michael P. Mayko
