Hartford Man Charged with Threatening Federal Judge

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DUSAN MLADEN, also known as David Mladen, 62, of Hartford, was arrested yesterday and charged by federal criminal complaint with threatening a federal official.

As alleged in the criminal complaint, MLADEN is currently a litigant in a proceeding pending before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the District of Connecticut, captioned In re: Eternal Enterprise, Inc. MLADEN formerly owned Eternal Enterprise, Inc., which is the owner of eight apartment buildings in Hartford, and he has continued to be active in the management and decision making for the company.

On July 5, 2017, the judge presiding over the Eternal Enterprise matter discovered in the mailbox of her residence an anonymous handwritten note containing the phrases “BACK OFF,” “YOU ARE OVERSTEPPING AUTHORITY” and “JUST WARNING FOR NOW.”

On July 10, 2017, the judge received a phone call that had been placed to her home phone number. During the call, the caller stated that he had visited the judge’s house last week and “I left a message for you.” He said that he wanted her to file an order tomorrow “extending the deadline to September 30,” and “then maybe everything will be ok.” Although the caller refused to identify himself, the judge recognized the voice as MLADEN’s. The U.S. Marshals Service subsequently confirmed that the cell phone used to make the call was at a location in the vicinity of MLADEN’s residence.

On July 11, deputy U.S. Marshals interviewed MLADEN at his residence. MLADEN was arrested after he made additional threatening statements about the judge.

Following his arrest, MLADEN appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joan G. Margolis in New Haven and was ordered detained. A detention hearing is scheduled for July 13 at 4:00 p.m.

The charge of threatening a federal official carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Nardini.