Indictment Charges Waterbury Man with Firearm Offense

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging JOSE ANTONIO MOLINA-MONTALVO, 36, of Waterbury, with the unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

The indictment was returned on November 25, 2024.  Molina-Montalvo appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.

The indictment alleges that from October 11 to October 15, 2024, Molina-Montalvo unlawfully possessed a Harrington & Richardson 1871 INC. Handi Rifle.

The indictment further alleges that Molina-Montalvo’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for assault, possession with intent to sell narcotics, strangulation, harassment, burglary, and larceny.  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 unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  A charge is only an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Molina-Montalvo has been detained since his arrest on unrelated state charges on October 21, 2024.

This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont through Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.