While the Courant headlines the story as Colebrook Fire Chief Arrested In Sex Sting, the interior states:

According to spokesman Sgt. Daniel Devine, Boutin was arrested around 11:40 a.m. when he showed up at the restaurant to meet the fictitious boy. Police said Boutin works as a permit inspector for the state Department of Transportation and was driving an agency vehicle when he arrived at the meeting site.

Ah, that would maybe explain the I-84 fiasco, where somehow the DOT failed to inspect the shoddy work performed. And what was this guy doing at 11:40 am instead of inspecting DOT stuff?

Police arrested Colebrook’s volunteer fire chief Wednesday after he showed up at a local restaurant to meet and have sex with what he thought was a 14-year-old boy he’d met on the Internet, police said. The “boy” turned out to a police officer.

John T. Boutin, 49, of 31 Eno Hill Road, Colebrook, is in custody with bail set at $100,000, police said.

Source: The Hartford Courant, Colebrook Fire Chief Arrested In Sex Sting, By GREG SEAY, February 28, 2007