David X. Sullivan, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Jose Colon, 37, from Wolcott, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver delivered the sentence in Hartford, which includes three years of supervised release following imprisonment for a firearm offense.
Court documents and statements reveal that on March 13, 2024, Waterbury Police arrested Colon after he discarded a privately made 9mm handgun during a foot pursuit. The weapon was loaded with six rounds of ammunition.
Colon has previous felony convictions in Connecticut related to assault, weapons charges, and risk of injury offenses. Federal law prohibits individuals with felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition that have moved across state or international borders.
Since his arrest, Colon has remained detained. On February 20, 2025, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon.
The investigation into this matter was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) alongside the Waterbury Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham prosecuted the case under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). This program aims to reduce gun violence and other violent crimes by uniting various levels of law enforcement with community efforts to enhance neighborhood safety.
For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit www.justice.gov/psn.
