Bridgeport Man Sentenced In Federal Gun Trafficking Case

BRIDGEPORT, CT — A 26-year-old Bridgeport man this week was sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing and selling firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery.

Wright, who has been detained since his arrest in March, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven. In July, Wright pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

According to court documents and statements, investigators discovered that Wright was illegally selling firearms without a license, and in January and February of this year, they made three controlled purchases of handguns from him. One of the handguns had been reported stolen in North Carolina. During the investigation, Wright indicated that he not only possessed, but also had access to, additional firearms and firearm parts.

When Wright was arrested, investigators searched his Bridgeport residence and found a Glock Model 43 handgun, ammunition, and various gun parts.

According to prosecutors, Wright was previously convicted in state court of theft of a firearm, and possession with intent to sell narcotics. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Fairfield, and Stamford Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis through the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.