New Britain Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Escape Charge

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES SCOTT, 37, formerly of New Britain, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to one count of escape from federal custody.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 20, 2009, SCOTT received a federal sentence of 121 months of imprisonment for conspiring to distribute, and distributing, crack cocaine.  On June 30, 2015, he was transferred from a federal prison to the Watkinson House Residential Reentry Center in Hartford to complete his sentence.  At the time of his transfer to the Watkinson House RRC, SCOTT had a projected release date of December 26, 2015.

On August 14, 2015, SCOTT signed out from the Watkinson House RRC to conduct a job search, but did not return.  He was apprehended on October 5, 2015, in Hartford by the U.S. Marshals Service and returned to custody.

Judge Thompson has scheduled sentencing for January 13, 2016, at which time SCOTT faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Hartford Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.