Hartford Man Pleads Guilty To Assault Rifle Possession

HARTFORD, CT — A Hartford man recently pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, according to a statement from federal prosecutors.

Brian Velez, 31, sped away from police officers in Hartford's South End on the morning of Nov. 27, 2018. Velez parked in a driveway on Newbury Street then ran from the car carrying a duffel bag.

Police caught Velez and searched it, finding a disassembled Ruger AR 556 semi-automatic rifle, according to the statement.

Velez’s criminal history includes multiple convictions for burglary offenses.

Velez is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing. He will be sentenced May 20 and faces up to 10 years in prison.

This investigation has been conducted by the Hartford Police Department and the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.