Thomas MacMillan Photo
HARTFORD — Osvaldo Segui, Jr. conspired with his father and with Angelo Reyes to burn down Reyes’ Fair Haven laundromat in July 2009.
Segui admitted as much on Monday afternoon to Judge Christopher Droney in federal court in Hartford.
Segui, who’s 22, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit arson for his role in the blaze that ripped through the People’s Laundromat on Lombard Street in Fair Haven on July 30, 2009. Segui admitted to starting the fire with his father. He was paid to do it by Angelo Reyes, who owned the laundromat, he admitted.
Segui now faces between seven and 40 years in prison. He is scheduled for sentencing May 19 at 11 a.m.
Segui’s guilty plea is the latest development in a case that centers on the alleged criminal actions of one of Fair Haven’s most prominent developers. Reyes, who turned his life as a drug dealer around to become a major property owner and rebuilder of homes and commercial property, has denied any involvement in the fire that destroyed his laundromat. Click the play arrow to watch his tearful response to the fire, at the scene in the summer of 2009.
Since his arrest in December, Reyes’ case has been complicated by allegations of witness tampering.
Monday’s guilty plea may indicate that Segui has decided to cooperate with the feds as they prosecute Reyes and Segui’s father. The afternoon proceedings in federal court included an “in camera” conference between lawyers, the judge, and Segui, in which the parties may have been discussing Segui’s cooperation with prosecutors.
During the public portion of the proceedings, Segui acknowledged the rights he is giving up with his guilty plea, agreed to the prosecutors’ version of his crime, and entered his plea.
Segui arrived in court in jeans and an un-tucked, red, button-down shirt. He was accompanied by his lawyer, David Morgan, and a young woman who identified herself as a friend.
After being briefed on his rights and having his in camera conference, Segui appeared to listen closely as federal prosecutor Steven Reynolds explained what the government would seek to prove, were the case to go to trial. Here’s what he said the government believes happened:
In July, 2009, Segui and his father were living rent-free on Maltby Street, in an apartment owned by Reyes. After Reyes told them the laundromat had become a liability that would bankrupt him, Segui and his dad agreed to burn it down.
Reyes cut holes in the ceiling and Segui’s dad told Segui to pour gas in them and set the fire. On the night of the arson, the fire started while Segui was in the process of pouring the gas. Segui showed up later that night in the emergency room of Yale-New Haven Hospital, with burns to his legs.
A week later, Segui took off for Florida, so as to avoid detection. Reyes paid for his flight and passed along money to support Segui while he was away.
Asked in court on Monday if he agreed with that account of events, Segui said he did.
He then officially entered his guilty plea at 2:40 p.m.
Just before the close of the hearing, Segui’s lawyer told the judge that his client is set to begin full-time employment on Tuesday and is “about to embark on additional education” to become a licensed auto mechanic.