Stratford Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Attempting to Kill Federal Law Enforcement Officer

Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN W. BELL, Jr., 56, of Ridge Road, Stratford, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 156 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. On June 16, 2008, a jury found BELL guilty of one count of knowingly and intentionally attempting to kill an officer or employee of the United States while such officer or employee was engaged in the performance of official duties, one count of forcibly assaulting a federal officer, and one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

According to the evidence presented during the trial, on October 1, 2007, a team of federal, state and local law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Buzz’s Mobil, which is located at 2394 East Main Street in Bridgeport. The search team was clad in gear that plainly identified them as police. In addition, several of the officers verbally advised the occupant of the gas station’s office that they were police with a warrant. As the officers and agents entered the office and took custody of one individual inside the office, BELL appeared at the rear of the office and refused to comply with the officers’ instructions to put his hands in the air. Instead, BELL removed a .44 caliber Taurus revolver from his waistband, which contained hollow point ammunition, aimed at the officers and fired shots.

Today, Judge Covello ordered BELL to serve concurrent 36-month sentences for the attempted murder of a federal officer and assaulting a federal officer, and a mandatory consecutive 10-year term of imprisonment for using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

“I want to acknowledge the dedicated efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Trumbull Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, the Branford Police Department, the Norwalk Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police, who investigated this matter, and all law enforcement personnel who face dangers every day to enforce our laws and protect us from harm,” U.S. Attorney Dannehy stated.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tracy Lee Dayton and Michael J. Gustafson.