Hartford Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Ammunition

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment today charging MICHAEL LEDBETTER, 26, of Hartford, with one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

As alleged in court documents, on November 27, 2016, members of Hartford Police were dispatched to a residence on Nelson Street on a report of a possible domestic assault. LEDBETTER left the residence shortly before police arrived. A short time later, an officer located LEDBETTER in a vehicle on Barbour Street. After LEDBETTER was secured in handcuffs, an officer conducted a pat down of his person and discovered one .40 caliber Hornady live round in LEDBETTER’s right front pocket.

It is further alleged that, on April 9, 2014, LEDBETTER was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court of six counts of accessory to first degree assault.

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.

The charge of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

LEDBETTER has been detained since his arrest on a federal criminal complaint on February 12, 2017.

U.S. Attorney Daly 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 investigation is being conducted by the Hartford Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson and Assistant State’s Attorney John F. Fahey of the Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office, who has been cross-designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in this matter.