Vanessa Roberts Avery, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut
A federal grand jury in Hartford has indicted Felix Narvaez, a 53-year-old resident of Waterbury, on charges related to cocaine distribution and firearm possession. The announcement was made by Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge at the ATF Boston Field Division, and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo.
The indictment, returned on February 12, 2025, alleges that Narvaez was found in possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and a loaded silver Ruger P90 .45 A.C.P handgun on November 7, 2024. Narvaez's criminal history reportedly includes state felony convictions for firearm, assault, and controlled substances offenses. Federal law prohibits individuals previously convicted of a felony from possessing firearms or ammunition that have moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Narvaez appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford today and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges last November.
The indictment includes three counts: possession with intent to distribute cocaine carrying a maximum imprisonment term of 20 years; unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon with a maximum imprisonment term of 15 years; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime which mandates a consecutive imprisonment term of at least five years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman emphasized that "an indictment is not evidence of guilt" and reminded that "a charge is only an allegation," asserting that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
The case is under investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) along with the Waterbury Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Freismuth as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative focused on reducing violent crime through collaboration among various stakeholders to develop comprehensive solutions.
For additional information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, interested parties can visit www.justice.gov/psn.
