Hartford Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun Possession

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALVIN CRAWFORD, also known as “Nardy,” 34, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 2, 2018, Crawford, holding a yellow plastic bag, exited a car and ran from Hartford Police in the area of Rockville Street in Hartford.  Crawford ignored verbal commands to stop running, tossed the yellow bag over the fence, scaled the fence, picked up the bag and continued to run.  Officers apprehended Crawford on Westland Street shortly after he had dropped the bag.  A search of the bag revealed a Taurus .38 Special revolver and five rounds of ammunition.

Crawford’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for criminal possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, violation of a protective order, and assault in the second degree.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Crawford has been detained since his arrest.  On December 11, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of firearm by a convicted felon.

This matter was investigated by the Hartford Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.

This case 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 make neighborhoods safer for everyone.