Ramel Pires, a 28-year-old resident of Norwich, was sentenced on May 4 to 24 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for unlawfully possessing a firearm, according to David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
The sentencing underscores ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to address gun-related offenses and repeat offenders. Authorities say that removing firearms from individuals with prior felony convictions is critical to community safety.
Court documents show that on October 26, 2024, a Groton City Police officer attempted to stop Pires after observing him driving erratically. Pires accelerated before stopping at a residence. Officers determined he was intoxicated and found marijuana packaged for distribution on his person. A loaded 9mm Canik TP9 Elite SC handgun was also discovered in his vehicle. Pires was arrested on state charges at the time.
Pires has previous convictions including a firearm possession offense related to an incident in which he shot at someone during a fight in 2020, as well as assaulting a police officer. Federal law prohibits anyone previously convicted of a felony from possessing firearms that have moved through interstate or foreign commerce.
Pires pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026, in federal court to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and has been detained since his arrest. The case was investigated by the Groton City Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, described as "a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime." The U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut prosecutes federal crimes and manages civil cases for the United States within Connecticut while employing about 68 assistant attorneys and running offices in New Haven, Hartford, and Bridgeport; it is one of the oldest such offices established in 1789 according to the official website.
