A federal grand jury in New Haven has indicted Kevin Barco, 41, of Hartford, on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. The announcement was made by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division; and Hartford Police Chief James C. Rovella.
The indictment was returned on September 3, 2025. Barco appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven and pleaded not guilty to the charge. He has been held since his arrest by Hartford Police on related state charges on April 24, 2025.
According to the indictment, Barco allegedly possessed a Springfield Armory XD .40 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number and a high-capacity magazine loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition on April 24, 2025.
Barco’s criminal record includes state felony convictions for weapon offenses as well as robbery and larceny. Federal law prohibits individuals previously convicted of felony offenses from possessing firearms or ammunition that have moved through interstate or foreign commerce.
If found guilty, Barco could face up to 15 years in prison. Additional penalties may apply if he is determined to have violated conditions of his supervised release from an earlier federal conviction.
On September 27, 2021, Barco received a sentence in Bridgeport federal court: 39 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release for illegal possession of a sawed-off shotgun. He was released from federal custody in April 2024.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stated: “An indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Hartford Police Department are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a national initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at addressing illegal immigration issues, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and reducing violent crime through collaboration among various DOJ programs including OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
