Bridgeport Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing Firearm Illegally

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that GIOVANNI CANDELARIO, 21, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty to  one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 10 p.m. on February 1, 2014, a vehicle in which CANDELARIO was a passenger engaged in a chase with Bridgeport Police.  The vehicle eventually stopped on Ogden Street in Bridgeport and CANDELARIO fled on foot.  CANDELARIO was apprehended after he was found hiding in a trash can behind an apartment building on Hallet Street.  Officers subsequently traced the route of CANDELARIO’s flight and located a Smith and Wesson MP .40 caliber pistol on the driveway of an Ogden Street residence.  The firearm had been previously reported stolen. In March 2012, CANDELARIO was convicted in state court of possession with intent to distribute narcotics.  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.

This prosecution stems from Project Longevity, a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities.  Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to violence.  A critical component of the Project Longevity strategy is the “call-in,” a face-to-face meeting where Project Longevity partners engage group members and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.  CANDELARIO attended a call-in on October 30, 2013, in Bridgeport, and was offered services.  Subsequently, CANDELARIO and his group committed acts of violence, which in turn drew the full and focused attention of local, state and federal law enforcement.

CANDELARIO’s sentencing has been scheduled for November 10, 2014 before U.S. Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford. CANDELARIO has been detained since his arrest on February 1.

This matter was investigated by the Bridgeport Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

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