United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

Project Safe Neighborhoods: SHELTON FELON SENTENCED TO 24 MONTHS ON FEDERAL FIREARMS CONVICTION

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MATTHEW JOHNSON, age 23, formerly of 11 Carriage Drive, Shelton, Connecticut, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven federal court to 24 months of incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. JOHNSON has a prior felony conviction in the state of Georgia for child molestation and faces a parole revocation proceeding in that state, where is parole term runs through January 24, 2006.

On April 29, 2003, a federal grand jury sitting in Hartford returned a one-count Indictment charging JOHNSON with possession of a .25 caliber Titan handgun, after having previously been convicted of a felony offense. JOHNSON subsequently pleaded guilty to the charge, admitting that in February 2003, he purchased the handgun for $100 from Jonathan Bagon, who had stolen it and several others from his grandfather's residence in Trumbull, Connecticut. Bagon was 17-years-old at the time of the offense, pleaded guilty in state court and is currently serving a sentence of five years of incarceration, suspended after two years, and three years of probation.

It is a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess a firearm that moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

"I would like to note the outstanding collaboration between detectives from the Trumbull and Bridgeport police departments while working this case," U.S. Attorney O'Connor stated. "This result can be credited directly to the efforts of the Project Safe Neighborhoods task force to address the theft of firearms in towns neighboring Bridgeport and the subsequent illegal distribution of those guns in Bridgeport."

This matter was investigated by the Trumbull Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Spector.

The Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative is aimed at reducing gun violence, deterring illegal possession of guns, and improving the safety of residents in Connecticut's cities. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. More information on the nationwide Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative can be found at www.psn.gov.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov