Molly Yanity – HQ Press

Ray & Mike’s owner pleads guilty to tax evasion

The owner of a Hamden deli frequented by Quinnipiac University students pleaded guilty to one count of federal tax evasion last week and faces up to five years in prison, as well as a hefty restitution.

Ray George, 52, owns Ray & Mike’s Dairy and Deli at 3030 Whitney Ave. and is a popular fixture at the bustling shop.

Ray George, 52, owns Ray & Mike’s Dairy and Deli, a business that has served Hamden for 21 years. Pictured here in a photo from the deli’s website, George pleaded guilty to one count of federal tax evasion on Friday, May 17.

But, according to a Monday release from the U.S. District Attorney’s Office for Connecticut, George “underreported his income by approximately $365,065 for the 2012 tax year and by $273,108 for the 2013 tax year, and failed to pay a total of approximately $220,000 in taxes.”

George evaded his federal income taxes in multiple ways, the court documents say, using his Ray & Mike’s business account for personal expenses, failing to deposit cash receipts from the deli into his business account and using a portion of the cash to fill an in-store ATM and not reporting the cash as income.

The court documents also say George deposited three checks totaling nearly $300,000 from the Ray & Mike’s business account into his personal investment account, without reporting the funds as income in any capacity, and then withdrew funds from the investment account to purchase personal investment properties.

He also deposited a $25,800 check from the Ray & Mike’s lottery account into his personal investment account without reporting them.

George waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty on Friday, May 17 in the U.S. District Court in Bridgeport.

George faces a fine of up to approximately $440,000, as well as potential jail time. He has agreed to pay back taxes of $220,663, plus interest and penalties.

The 21-year-old business is known best for its sandwich menu, as well as the fact it is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, including holidays and during winter storms.

IRIS’s annual Run for Refugees 5K draws thousands

By HQ Press staff

Multimedia by Lee Colon

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut — As temperatures climbed into the mid-40s, about 3,000 runners filled the streets of the East Rock neighborhood Sunday morning to raise funds for Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services.

The Run for Refugees 5-kilometer run, which is held each year on the morning of Super Bowl Sunday, raises tens of thousands of dollars for the non-profit and draws local and state politicians.

About eighty Quinnipiac University students and faculty joined a yellow-clad team representing the Global Public Health programs.

Wendy Sewack, assistant director of global public health, helped organize the team.

“Especially because we work in global public health, this is something all our future health care practitioners are going to need to see and be a part of, so we wanted to show our support,” she said.

Sewack said 2019’s IRIS Run for Refugees is the third time QU Global Public Health has sponsored a team.

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Polar Vortex 2019: Hamden warming centers are open as temps dip below zero

By HQ Press staff

As the wind chill temperature dipped into negative double digits, the Town of Hamden opened six warming centers where people can go to escape the cold.

Citizens are reminded that warming centers are not shelters and do not provide beds. The spaces, which are located at fire stations, the police station and the Miller Library Complex on Dixwell Avenue, are open 24 hours, however.

Connecticut 211, which serves as a one-stop phone connection to state and local services, has provided links to warming centers beyond Hamden, as well as information for renters without heat, safety tips regarding carbon monoxide and more.

The high temperature on Thursday afternoon is expected to be 16 degrees, while the lows will plummet back to 5 degrees before sunrise Wednesday. Temperatures are not expected to reach above freezing until Saturday afternoon, the Weather Channel reports.

Students at Quinnipiac University brave the below-zero wind chill temperatures as classes carried on as normal Thursday, Jan. 31. Photo by Molly Yanity/HQ Press — Students at Quinnipiac University brave the below-zero wind chill temperatures as classes carried on as normal Thursday, Jan. 31. *Photo by Molly Yanity/HQ Press*

Four QU students arrested after pot bust in dorm

By HQ Press staff

Hamden police arrested four Quinnipiac University students Sunday, Feb. 18 after an anonymous tip led to the revelation of large quantities of marijuana products in a campus dorm.

According to a release by the Hamden Police Department, Quinnipiac Public Safety searched the room of Patrick Owenby and found a plastic bag containing 15.5 grams of marijuana, five “Marijuana Fruity Pebbles Squares” weighing 303.3 grams, 87 grams of THC oil and drug paraphernalia, including packaging materials.

Police charged Owenby, an 18-year old from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, with possession of a controlled substance and sale of a controlled substance.

Facing the same charges is Shawn Wheeler, 18, of Atkinson, New Hampshire. At the time of the search, Wheeler was in possession of 137.5 grams of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, including a scale.

Both Owenby and Wheeler paid $1,000 in bond to appear in court in Meriden on March 5.

Police also issued infractions (possession of less than a half ounce of marijuana) to Samuel Geiss, 19, of Wellesley, Massachusetts, and Wilton’s Matthew Moore, 19.