I-Team investigation ends in arrest

SUFFIELD, Conn. (WWLP) - The 22News I-Team first broke the story of a Connecticut Wood pellet company that was leaving customers out in the cold last December. Now the owner of that company is in trouble again – this time for allegedly running the business while he was illegally collecting disability payments.

Connecticut authorities arrested 49 year-old Stephen Zaczynski of Suffield on Tuesday. Zaczynski is lieutenant with the state Department of Correction.

He’s been charged with workers' compensation fraud, larceny and failure to maintain workers' compensation insurance at his company.

An arrest warrant says Zaczynski filed for disability benefits in September 2008 for a job-related injury, and went on to run New England Pellet LLC and illegally collect nearly $13,000 while out of work.

Zaczynski was released on a promise to appear in Enfield Superior Court on Oct. 20. He did not immediately return a phone message Tuesday.

A prison system spokesman says Zaczynski was placed on paid leave Tuesday.