Home New Haven Press Releases 2009 Project Safe Neighborhoods: Norwalk Man Who Traded Guns for Drugs Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal Prison...
Info
This is archived material from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) website. It may contain outdated information and links may no longer function.

Project Safe Neighborhoods: Norwalk Man Who Traded Guns for Drugs Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal Prison

U.S. Attorney’s Office September 11, 2009
  • District of Connecticut (203) 821-3700

Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced MATTHEW CAPORIZZO, 32, last residing on Huckleberry Drive South in Norwalk, was sentenced yesterday, September 10, by United States District Judge Janet C. Hall in Bridgeport, to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. On August 11, 2008, CAPORIZZO pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by an unlawful user of any controlled substance.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, in November 2005, a court-authorized search of CAPORIZZO’s residence revealed a sawed-off shotgun barrel and stock; a Beretta handgun frame; 195 live rounds of ammunition and 389 spent casings; a 7.62 caliber high-capacity gun magazine; four glass crack cocaine pipes with residue; a spoon with crack cocaine residue; several razor blades with crack cocaine residue; a marijuana cigarette butt; and several glassine bags. CAPORIZZO has admitted that he was an unlawful user of heroin at the time the warrant was served.

The investigation revealed that CAPORIZZO, in exchange for drugs, acted as a straw purchaser of firearms on behalf of individuals who could not legally purchase them. On November 29, 2005, CAPORIZZO was the registered owner of six handguns and one rifle, and the owner of one unregistered rifle. However, at the time that the search warrant was executed, CAPORIZZO was not in possession of any of the firearms. Three of the weapons—a Ruger handgun, a Lorcin handgun and a Norinco SKS Rifle—were recovered from individuals who were either convicted felons or who possessed narcotics in conjunction with the firearm. In addition, the serial number on the Norinco SKS Rifle had been obliterated making it difficult to retrace the gun to CAPORIZZO.

CAPORIZZO has been detained since his arrest on November 7, 2007.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, and the Norwalk Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tracy Lee Dayton.

The Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession of guns, and improving the safety of residents of Connecticut’s cities. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

This content has been reproduced from its original source.