Hartford City Councilman Denied Rehabilitation Program in Church Embezzlement Case

Hartford City Councilman Alexander Thomas will face trial after a judge denied his request to enter a rehabilitation program that would have allowed him to avoid jail time for allegedly embezzling more than $20,000 from a local church.

Hartford Superior Court Judge Moira Buckley rejected Thomas’s application for Connecticut’s accelerated rehabilitation program during a Friday hearing, citing concerns about his likelihood to reoffend given the alleged pattern of conduct.

“The court has a very hard time finding that he’s likely to not offend in the future with that course of alleged conduct,” Buckley said during the proceedings.

Thomas, 29, currently serves on the Hartford City Council but lost his minority leadership position following his arrest. He worked as a pastor and director of youth and family ministries at South Church in Hartford before being fired in May 2024 when the missing funds came to light, according to court documents.

The state’s attorney’s office opposed Thomas’s rehabilitation application, arguing the significant impact on the nonprofit organization warranted prosecution.

“Based upon the fact that the victim of this crime, a nonprofit and the work that they do, $20,000 is a lot of money,” said Ed Azzaro, supervisory assistant of the state’s attorney, during court arguments.

According to the arrest warrant, Thomas allegedly used a church credit card to embezzle funds over the course of a year through an elaborate scheme involving fake PayPal accounts. He allegedly created two shell accounts named “Helping Common Man” and “Youth International Works,” then transferred money from those accounts to his personal account to conceal the theft.

“Larceny, embezzlement, these are intent crimes,” Azzaro told the court. “There appears to be a degree of planning in this, it didn’t happen just once.”

Court documents reveal Thomas spent the allegedly stolen funds on various purchases including PayPal payments, Amazon transactions, fast food, and ATM cash withdrawals. His defense attorney Ronald Johnson argued that the spending pattern did not suggest an extravagant lifestyle.

“It wasn’t, in my opinion, a situation in which he was trying to magnify a gregarious lifestyle,” Johnson said.

Johnson indicated Thomas is prepared to make restitution for the alleged theft. “I indicated in terms of email whether or not my client would be open in terms of paying restitution,” Johnson told the court. “Of course, I indicated yes.”

Thomas appeared emotional during the hearing, with tears visible as the judge delivered her decision. He now works for Amazon to support his wife and three-year-old son, according to court testimony.

The accelerated rehabilitation program is designed for non-violent, first-time defendants and allows participants to have charges dismissed upon successful completion. Both South Church and the state’s attorney’s office objected to Thomas’s application for the program.

Johnson attempted to limit media coverage of the proceedings by requesting the court block reporters from attending, but Buckley denied that motion. The judge ruled that public knowledge of the charges already existed, resulting in court documents being unsealed Friday.

Despite the current charges, Johnson emphasized Thomas’s previous work with nonprofit organizations throughout his career. Buckley indicated this background would be considered during potential plea negotiations and any future sentencing.

Thomas has announced he will not seek reelection to his council seat. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 17, when Johnson plans to enter a plea deal on his client’s behalf.

The case highlights ongoing challenges facing religious institutions in Connecticut as they work to maintain financial oversight and community trust while serving Hartford residents.