Tracy DeSenti is a Hamden, Connecticut resident and addiction counselor. She and her late husband, Billy DeSenti, were both previously incarcerated in Connecticut. After her husband's death in 2023, the state pursued a lien against his estate under Connecticut's cost-of-incarceration law.
What we have documented
We have documented 1 statement by Tracy DeSenti, in 1 case. Each statement below gives the quotation, its original source and a link to the full case.
Case updates
Connecticut's prison-fee debt law: want updates?
We'll send an email if lawmakers take up repeal or changes to the law, if Lamont's office offers administrative relief, or if state officials answer critics.
Important updates only. Free. Confirm your email to start. Unsubscribe anytime. How we handle your email.
DeSenti, who had to sell the home she and her late husband had renovated together to help satisfy the debt the state assessed for his earlier incarceration, said she still cannot process losing what she worked for.
“I still can't wrap my head around losing the thing that I worked for”
Open source (opens in a new tab)They served their time in prison. Then the bills arrived.Full article, including the sections headed "Additional punishment," "The John Gottis of the world," "Blood from a stone," "Calls for repeal," "Collections continue," "A punch in the heart" and "Priority creditor"
Why we used this label
DeSenti directly objects to losing her home to satisfy the state's incarceration debt, describing the loss as something she still cannot accept.
Connecticut charges incarcerated people up to $347 a day and can collect the debt for 20 years after release, including from settlements and inheritances. A 2026 investigation found the state collected about $21 million this way since 2020.
