Danbury Duo Sentenced To Over A Year In Prison On Gun Charges

DANBURY, CT —Two former Danbury residents were sentenced Monday for firearm offenses in New Haven federal court.

Darnell Macon, Sr., 46, was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release. Kharisma Brooks, 24, was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

In 2002, Macon was convicted in New York of two counts of assault in the first degree, and in 2003, he was convicted in New York of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree.

According to the evidence presented during their trial last year, on May 27, 2021, Macon and Brooks visited a federally licensed firearms dealer in Kent where Macon possessed, and then Brooks purchased, a Smith & Wesson, Model SD40VE, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol.

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.

On June 7, 2021, special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigating the firearm purchase on May 27, and another firearm purchased by Brooks in Stratford on May 25, visited Macon's and Brooks' Danbury residence and recovered the two firearms, which were located in Macon's bedroom closet.

On Oct. 31, 2022, Macon was found guilty of one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and Brooks was found guilty of one count of aiding and abetting the unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The jury found Brooks not guilty of one count of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.

Macon and Brooks, who are released on bond and currently residing in Springfield, MA, are required to report to prison on Jan. 15, 2024.

The investigation was conducted by ATF, with the assistance of the Danbury Police Department.