Man cut power to CT attorney general, secretary of state offices

HARTFORD — A Pennsylvania man accused of breaking into an office building that houses the Connecticut attorney general and secretary of the state shut off circuit breakers in a transformer vault that cuts power to some of the systems for the agencies.

The building, located at 165 Capital Ave., will remain closed Monday a spokesperson for the state Department of Administrative Services said.

“This morning, building management is working with vendors, state agency IT personnel to get the building systems restored,” spokesperson Leigh Appleby said.

Connecticut State Police identified the man arrested in the break-in as 43-year-old Cristian Gonzalez, of Shillington, Pa. The small town of a few thousand residents sits in Berks County about an hour-and-a-half northwest of Philadelphia.

He was charged with third-degree burglary, first-degree criminal mischief, second-degree criminal trespassing and possession of burglary tools, state police said.

Authorities have not said what may have motivated the break-in.

State police said troopers were called to the building around 5:10 pm Sunday for an alarm activation at the comptroller’s building, the agency said.

Police said they found Gonzalez “forcibly entering a utility area under the building via a metal grate.” He was “immediately” taken into custody and taken to Troop H in Hartford for processing, state police said.

A search of the building by Hartford and state police found no other suspects, the agency said.

Gonzalez is due to appear Monday in state Superior Court in Hartford after he was unable to post $50,000 bond, state police said.

The agency said the investigation remains ongoing.

Staff Writer Josh LaBella contributed reporting.