TicketNetwork Founder Accepts Special Probation

After entering a special conditional probationary program on Tuesday in Hartford Superior Court that could take a hate crime accusation off his record, the founder of TicketNetwork kept emphasizing one word. 

"Vindication," said Donald Vaccaro when asked for a reaction.

"I feel fully vindicated," Vaccaro said with emphasis. "Today's judge said it was not a hate crime."

The 49-year-old Vaccaro, as chief executive officer of , took a leave of absence from the company because of the case.  

 had been facing charges related to an incident at an Oscar party at Real Art Ways in Hartford.  

Vaccaro has been charged with intimidation due to bias, second-degree threatening, second-degree breach of peace, first-degree criminal trespass, and interfering with police, according to Hartford police. 

He had a bond of $10,000 on his case, according to the clerk's office in Hartford. 

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Vaccaro has now entered a two-year accelerated rehabilitation program, which is now in effect until 2014. After completing the program, the charges could be dropped from his record, a clerk said. 

The incident took place on Feb. 27 at 12:09 a.m., Hartford police said. Hartford police allege that Vaccaro had an unwanted encounter with a woman at the party and a security guard intervened, according to Hartford police.

Vaccaro was allegedly holding the woman's hand and would not let go, and a security guard had to pry his hand loose from the woman's, Hartford police said. While he was being asked to leave the party, police said Vaccaro yelled racially charged insults at the security guard. 

Vaccaro said on Tuesday that witnesses in the case showed the accusatiion was not true. 

Two veteran TicketNetwork executives are now running the company, and Vaccaro said he is seeking alcohol counseling. The company has withdrawn from the state's . First Five had offered TicketNetwork about $7 million in incentives to remain in the area last summer. 

TicketNetwork in July moved its primary headquarters to the former Gerber complex in South Windsor but still owns office property on Bolton Road and recreational property on South Frontage Road in Vernon.

Vaccaro was accused of being drunk when the incident took place. Part of his leave from TicketNetwork involved alcohol counseling. When asked how he was doing with that program, he did not hesitate to say, "I have addressed any concerns I had with alcohol successfully." 

Vaccaro said he would announce when he might return to the company soon.

"I'll announce something next week," he said. "I've taken this time for myself."