New Britain Man Involved in Florida to Connecticut Gun Trafficking Scheme sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ERIC WOODIE, 32, of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 66 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking and possessing firearms, and for distributing cocaine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 18, 2021, Woodie and Dominic Colon-Brown sold a .22 caliber firearm to an individual for $1,200.  Woodie, Brown and Julian Judge then conspired to obtain stolen firearms in Florida and sell them in Connecticut.  In late February 2021, Woodie rented a car, which Colon-Brown and Judge used to drive to Florida to obtain stolen firearms and bring them back to Connecticut.  Woodie also provided Colon-Brown and Judge with cash to purchase firearms.  Colon-Brown and Judge purchased three stolen handguns in Florida, transported them back to Connecticut, and provided them to Woodie.

Woodie was arrested on March 8, 2021, after he ran from New Britain Police officers and discarded a .40 caliber handgun, equipped with a laser and loaded high capacity magazine, during the chase.  The firearm was recovered and a search of Woodie’s person revealed five knotted plastic baggies containing cocaine, as well as $1,038 in cash.   A subsequent search of Woodie’s residence revealed the three stolen handguns they acquired in Florida, two extended magazines, more than 100 rounds of ammunition, and an additional distribution quantity of cocaine. 

During the investigation, Woodie and his associates were captured in recorded conversations discussing the illegal acquisition and sale of firearms.  Colon-Brown and Judge also posted photos of themselves on social media in possession of firearms.

Woodie has been detained since his arrest.  On March 2, 2023, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Colon-Brown, of Farmington, and Judge, of New Britain, each pleaded guilty to one count of transporting stolen firearms across state lines.  On May 27, 2022, Judge was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay a $3,000 fine.  On August 22, 2022, Colon-Brown was sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay a $2,200 fine.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, the New Britain Police Department, the Farmington Police Department, the West Hartford Police Department, and the Pasco County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: Fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.