Two Hartford Men Charged with Murdering Potential Witness in Federal Investigation

Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Patricia M. Ferrick, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Hartford Police Chief James C. Rovella announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Hartford returned a superseding indictment today charging Dominique Mack, also known as “Lil Sweets,” 23, and Keronn Miller, also known as “Fresh,” 23, both of Hartford, with the 2010 murder of Ian Francis of Hartford.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 21, 2010, Ian Francis was shot multiple times while sitting in his vehicle on Sigourney Street in Hartford. Francis succumbed to his injuries on January 15, 2011.

The superseding indictment alleges that Mack, Miller, and others murdered Francis with the intent to prevent the apprehension and appearance of Mack, who was a fugitive on a federal narcotics warrant, at a federal proceeding and to prevent Francis and another person from communicating with a federal law enforcement officer or judge about the commission or possible commission of a federal crime, namely, narcotics trafficking. The indictment further alleges that Mack and Miller conspired with others to commit this offense.

The charges of witness tampering murder and conspiracy to commit witness tampering murder carry a mandatory lifetime term of imprisonment or death, should the government seek the death penalty in this matter.

In addition to the murder charges, Mack is charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

Mack is currently in the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons, where he is serving a 37-month sentence for a narcotics offense.

Miller has been detained since his arrest on a federal warrant on November 7, 2012. He was originally charged by indictment on March 14, 2013.

This indictment followed a joint law enforcement investigation headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes and Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department’s Major Crimes Division.

Acting U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.