Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ROBERTO SANTIAGO, 28, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing and selling firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on Aug. 2, 2011, SANTIAGO sold a semi-automatic handgun in exchange for $400 to an individual working with law enforcement. On August 9, 2011, SANTIAGO sold a semi-automatic rifle and 250 rounds of ammunition to an undercover officer for $1,500. Both of the firearms were manufactured outside of Connecticut.
Prior to August 2011, SANTIAGO had sustained six felony convictions. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On Oct. 22, 2012, SANTIAGO pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
SANTIAGO has been detained in state custody since his Aug. 31, 2011 arrest on several unrelated state charges. On Nov. 1, 2011, he received an effective state sentence of four years--which he is currently serving--for five felony convictions and one misdemeanor conviction. The federal sentence imposed today will run concurrently to the remainder of SANTIAGO’s state sentence.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with substantial assistance provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marc H. Silverman.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
