Stamford Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Gun Possession Case

A Stamford man has been sentenced to four years in jail following his conviction on charges of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and violating probation.

Here is the statement released by U.S. Attorney for Connecticut Deirdre M. Daly:

Gerald Coley, 44, of Stamford, was sentenced August 20, 2014 by Chief United States District Judge Janet C. Hall to 48 months in jail and 3 years’ supervised release for his conviction of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm and his violation of the terms of his federal supervised release. Coley pleaded guilty to the charges on May 28, 2014 before United States Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons in Bridgeport federal court.

According to statements made in court and admissions by Coley under oath, on February 3, 2014, the Stamford police were called to the home of Coley’s girlfriend on a report that he was holding her at gunpoint. Their three daughters had also been in the residence. The police arrived at the residence and quickly confirmed that a family friend had come there and had escorted the children outside. After the police arrived, Coley’s girlfriend was permitted to leave the residence, and, eventually, Coley himself came outside and turned himself in to the police. He advised the police that there was a gun behind a radiator in the living room. The police subsequently located a loaded Glock .40 caliber handgun in that location.

Coley is a six-time prior convicted felon and was most recently convicted in 2002 in federal court in Connecticut of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. He finished serving his 151 month sentence on that conviction in September 2012 and started serving a term of supervised release. He admitted to violating the terms of that release by possessing the handgun. He also admitted to having possessed the handgun in connection with another felony offense.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Stamford Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Spector.