Hartford Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun Possession

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ASA BOYD, 35, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 60 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 January 30, 2014, the Hartford Police Department’s Intelligence Division received information that an individual driving a red Grand Am was in possession of .45 caliber pistol and selling drugs in the vicinity of Capitol Avenue. Hartford Police officers responded to the area and located the vehicle parked on James Street. As officers approached the car, BOYD, who had been the sole occupant of the vehicle, ran from the car and up the stairs to a residence. BOYD then reached into his waistband and tossed a black pistol. Officers pursued BOYD as he ran up to the second floor. After a brief struggle with the officers, BOYD was taken into custody.

Officers recovered the firearm, which was a .45 caliber Glock pistol with an intact magazine containing 13 live rounds, including one live round in the chamber. BOYD also possessed approximately 2.9 grams of crack cocaine and $827 in cash.

BOYD’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions. In 1996, BOYD was convicted of illegally firing a gun, for which he received 60 days in jail followed by probation. He later violated his probation and was sentenced to an additional one year in jail. In 2003, BOYD was arrested in possession of cocaine and three guns. He was ultimately convicted of possession with intent to sell narcotics and criminal possession of a weapon and, in 2005, was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment, suspended after four years, and five years of probation.

BOYD has been detained since his arrest. On December 1, 2014, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The matter was investigated by the Hartford Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.