Stratford Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms and Ammunition

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MATTHEW PETROVITCH, 38, of Stratford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing firearms and ammunition

According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 26, 2017, Stratford Police responded to PETROVITCH’s residence after a female victim reported that PETROVITCH had physically assaulted her and threatened her with a firearm while she was holding a young child.  After PETROVITCH was taken into custody, officers searched the residence and seized an AK-74 semiautomatic rifle, a short-barreled shotgun, and more than 350 rounds of assorted ammunition.

The short-barreled shotgun was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required.

In March 2000, PETROVITCH was convicted in state court of conspiracy to commit assault in the first degree, and robbery in the third degree.  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.

On May 8, 2018, PETROVITCH pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.

PETROVITCH previously pleaded guilty in Bridgeport Superior Court to state charges related to this incident.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Stratford Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alina P. Reynolds, in coordination with the State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District.

In 1994, Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in recognition of the severity of crimes associated with domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.  To learn more about VAWA and resources that are available, contact the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women.

In an emergency, victims of domestic violence should call 911 or contact state or local law enforcement officials, who can respond to these crimes.  Individuals in need of non-emergency assistance can also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or visit www.TheHotline.org.