Manchester Man Facing 10 Years In Federal Firearms Case

MANCHESTER, CT — A convicted felon from Manchester was caught illegally possessing a firearm and is now facing a decade in prison, a federal indictment indicates.

Leonard C. Boyle, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut, David Sundberg, special agent in charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Manchester Police Chief William Darby Thursday announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging Elliott Otero, 32, of Manchester, with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

The indictment was returned under seal on April 20 and Otero appeared Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and entered a plea of not guilty.

He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on Feb. 25.

According to the indictment, on that day, Otero was in possession of a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P 380 Shield pistol.

Otero's criminal history includes state felony convictions for firearm, robbery and larceny offenses, according to the indictment. Boyle said it is a violation of federal law for someone previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has "moved in interstate or foreign commerce."

If convicted of the charge, Otero will face a maximum prison term of 10 years.