Hartford Felon Charged with Possessing Loaded Gun

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a grand jury sitting in Hartford returned an indictment yesterday charging JOSE TORRES, 32, of Hartford, with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

The indictment alleges that, on September 7, 2018, TORRES unlawfully possessed a loaded Hi-Point Model JHP .45 caliber pistol in Hartford.

It is further alleged that TORRES’s criminal history includes felony convictions in March 2008 for possession with intent to distribute narcotics and first-degree robbery and, in March 2013, for second-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.

If convicted of the offense, TORRES faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

TORRES has been detained in state custody since his arrest on September 7.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hartford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.

This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.