Vanessa Roberts Avery, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, has announced the sentencing of Anfernee D. Dancy, a 28-year-old resident of Waterbury. Dancy received a sentence of 46 months in federal prison followed by 30 months of supervised release for unlawful possession of a firearm.
Court documents and statements reveal that on August 22, 2023, Waterbury Police attempted to stop an SUV driven by Dancy. In response, he reversed the vehicle into a police cruiser and tried to escape on foot but was apprehended after a struggle. A search conducted on the SUV uncovered a loaded Jimenez Arms, Inc. 9mm handgun, crack cocaine, a digital scale, and $282 in cash.
Dancy's criminal record includes felony convictions in Connecticut for first-degree burglary, risk of injury to children, and first-degree failure to appear. Federal law prohibits individuals with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition that have been transported across state or international borders.
Since his arrest following this incident, Dancy has remained detained. He pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon on October 7, 2024.
The investigation was carried out by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) alongside the Waterbury Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing gun violence and violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Justice Department strengthened PSN in May 2021 with strategies focusing on community trust and legitimacy as well as supporting organizations that prevent violence before it occurs.
For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods visit www.justice.gov/psn.