United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

FORMER STATE JUDICIAL MARSHAL WHO ACCEPTED ILLEGAL PAYMENTS FROM BAIL BONDSMEN IS SENTENCED

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JILL D’ANTONA, 37, of Seymour, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to one year of probation, the first four months of which D’ANTONA must spend confined to her home with electronic monitoring, for soliciting and accepting a gratuity.  D’ANTONA also must perform 100 hours of community service.  D’ANTONA pleaded guilty to the offense on March 7, 2008.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, D’ANTONA was employed as a State of Connecticut judicial marshal working at the Courthouse at 121 Elm Street in New Haven.  The Judicial Marshal Service is part of the Connecticut Judicial Branch and  provides courthouse security and prisoner transportation.  In pleading guilty, D’ANTONA admitted that she received cash payments from Robert Jacobs and Philip Jacobs of Jacobs Bail Bonds in New Haven for her assistance with their bail bonds business including but not limited to making referrals (providing early notification about an arrestee who required the services of a bondsman); providing financial and personal information about an arrestee to facilitate the writing of a bond; holding prisoners in the lock-up to expedite the bond process, and bringing prisoners to the clerk’s office to be released.  D’ANTONA admitted that she received $1500 or more from the Philip Jacobs over the past five years, and an additional $800 in the form of a loan of which D’ANTONA repaid only a small portion.  Robert Jacobs paid D’ANTONA approximately $50 to $100 three times per month over a two-year period, and also cashed D’ANTONA’s personal checks, which often bounced.

Robert and Philip Jacobs each have pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.  They await sentencing.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut State Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Acting United States Attorney Nora R. Dannehy.

CONTACT:

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