More Than One Hundred Guns Seized in Joint Law Enforcement

U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Connecticut
District of Connecticut
www.justice.gov/usao/ct

For Immediate Release
Thursday, May 12, 2011
David B. Fein, United States Attorney
Contact: Tom Carson, Public Information Office
(203) 821-3722
tom.carson@usdoj.gov


More Than One Hundred Guns Seized in Joint Law Enforcement Operation in Southwestern Connecticut

Several machine guns seized; 16 charged with federal gun, drug offenses

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Guy N. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, and Robert Nivakoff, Chief of the Stamford Police, today announced that 16 individuals have been charged with various federal offenses related to the alleged trafficking of firearms, including machine guns, and narcotics in southwestern Connecticut. More than 100 firearms have been purchased or seized during the investigation.

On May 10, a federal grand jury sitting in New Haven returned a 20-count indictment charging a total of 15 individuals. The indictment was unsealed following the arrest of 13 defendants today. One individual also was arrested on a federal criminal complaint. Two of the defendants are in state custody on unrelated charges.

“I want to commend all of the law enforcement officers involved in this investigation,â€