New conviction for Jewett City arsonist

Twenty-four-year-old Nicholas Euell pleaded guilty Thursday morning in New London Superior Court to robbing a Griswold man for a dime bag of marijuana two years ago, just weeks after he was released from prison for torching the old Town Hall in Jewett City in 2006.

He also pleaded guilty to assaulting a correction officer who went into his cell at the Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Center in June 2010 to see why he was acting out. Since he was on probation when he committed the robbery, Euell also admitted to a probation violation.

Euell will be sentenced Sept. 20 to eight years in prison followed by six years of special parole.

State’s Attorney Michael L. Regan said Euell, his sister Lacia Euell and her boyfriend Bora Kim went to a Lake Road home on Jan. 31, 2010, intending to buy marijuana from someone Euell knew, but the event turned into a robbery.

The victim told police that Euell, wearing rubber gloves, jumped on him and knocked him back onto his bed and punched him in the head. He said Kim tied his legs together with a shoelace. He said Euell picked up a pocket knife off his dresser and threatened to kill him if he did not tell him where the marijuana was.

The victim told police he fought back and managed to grab the knife. He said Kim ran out of the house, and he was able to punch Euell a few times before Euell also fled.

Euell’s sister and Kim were also arrested in the incident and have pending court cases.

When the robbery occurred, Euell had just been released from prison after serving a 50-month sentence for setting fire to the former Town Hall and burglarizing a flea market in January 2006.

— Karen Florin