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Press Release

Manchester Man Charged with Additional Firearm Offenses

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Connecticut

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment today charging ROBERT V. GENTILE, 79, of Manchester, with new firearm offenses. 

GENTILE, who has a pending indictment for the alleged possession and sale of a loaded .38 Colt Cobra revolver to an individual he knew to be a convicted felon, is charged in the new indictment with possession of three additional firearms and a silencer, each of which was seized from his Manchester residence during a search conducted by the FBI on May 2, 2016.

The indictment alleges that GENTILE, who has been convicted previously of multiple felony offenses, was in possession of a .22 caliber Browning semi-automatic pistol, a 9mm Walther semi-automatic pistol, a .380 caliber RPB Industries, M11-Al semi-automatic pistol, and an unregistered silencer.

The indictment charges GENTILE with one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, and one count of possession of an unregistered silencer.  Both charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

According to court documents and statements made in court, GENTILE was on supervised release from a prior federal conviction at the time he is alleged to have committed these latest offenses.  If he is found to have violated the terms and conditions of his supervised release, he faces additional penalties.

U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is only a charge and 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 matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John H. Durham.

Updated May 24, 2016