Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALGELLY DIAZ, 42, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in a firearm trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2023, members of the FBI Waterbury Safe Streets Task Force conducted three controlled purchases of a total of nine firearms from Diaz’s associate in Waterbury. A joint investigation revealed that Diaz’s associate was acquiring numerous firearms, most of which were purchased by straw purchasers from licensed gun dealers in Kansas and then shipped through the U.S. Mail to a stash location that Diaz maintained in Hartford. Diaz’s associate then obtained the firearms, which included assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, from Diaz and sold them to others throughout Connecticut. Diaz is a previously convicted felon who cannot not lawfully purchase or possess firearms.
The investigation further revealed that, between August 2020 and May 2023, one of Diaz’s co-conspirators purchased at least 73 firearms from a licensed gun dealer in Deerfield, Kansas.
Diaz and multiple co-conspirators were arrested on May 19, 2023. On that date, investigators executed search warrants at locations in Connecticut, Kansas, and California. A search of Diaz’s residence revealed approximately 90 rounds of ammunition. In addition, a court-authorized search of a package that was shipped to Diaz and seized from the mail stream revealed an additional three firearms.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Waterbury Police Department, the Connecticut State Police, and the Chino (Calif.) Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this case.