Stratford Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Gun Charge

STRATFORD, CT — A Stratford man faces up to 10 years in prison on a federal gun charge stemming from a domestic violence incident in town, according to authorities. Matthew Petrovitch, 38, pleaded guilty this week in federal court to one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, U.S. States Attorney for Connecticut John H. Durham announced in a press release.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Stratford Police responded to Petrovitch’s residence on Sept. 26, 2017, after a female victim reported that he had physically assaulted her and threatened her with a firearm while she was holding a young child.

“After Petrovitch was taken into custody, officers searched the residence and seized an AK-74 semiautomatic rifle, a short-barreled shotgun, and more than 350 rounds of assorted ammunition,” Durham wrote in a press release. “The short-barreled shotgun was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required.”

In March 2000, Petrovitch was convicted in state court of conspiracy to commit first-degree assault and third-degree robbery. 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, according to authorities.

When he is sentenced, Petrovitch faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison, according to Durham. Petrovitch is detained pending sentencing.

Petrovitch pleaded guilty in April to state charges related to the incident.

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