2 Hartford residents, One New Haven Man, Indicted On Gunrunning Charges: Feds

HARTFORD/NEW HAVEN, CT — Two Hartford residents and one New Haven man were indicted last week by a federal grand jury to face illegal firearms trafficking charges.

David X. Sullivan, U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Bryan DiGirolamo, acting special agent in charge, ATF Boston Field Division, announced Friday a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment Thursday, Nov. 13.

The indictment accuses Julian Foster, 35, of Hartford; Lateecha Gordon, 37, of Hartford; and Terrell Barnes, 43, of New Haven, of offenses related to the illegal trafficking and possession of firearms.

Foster was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on Sept. 30, and is currently detained.

Gordon and Barnes were arrested on Friday and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven.

Federal officials said all three entered pleas of not guilty and were released on $100,000 bonds.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an ATF investigation determined Foster was acquiring firearms from a source in Texas, transporting them to Connecticut, and offering them for sale.

The investigation revealed Gordon and Barnes were assisting Foster, Sullivan said.

On Sept. 3, an undercover ATF agent purchased a 9mm pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun, and a 5.56 caliber rifle from Foster in exchange for $6,000 in New Haven, according to officials.

At the meeting, Foster indicated he intended to acquire additional firearms that he would sell to the undercover agent, authorities said.

On Sept. 11, Foster and Gordon were arrested in Huntsville, Texas, after Huntsville Police stopped Foster’s vehicle and found three firearms concealed in the engine bay of the vehicle, and found Gordon in possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Sullivan.

On Sept. 12, a related search of a storage facility that Gordon rented in Houston revealed five firearms, ammunition, gun magazines, miscellaneous gun parts, and other items, authorities said.

It is further alleged that on Sept. 19, Foster contacted the undercover agent and offered to sell additional firearms, officials said.

According to authorities, Foster provided the agent with photos of two firearms and a video of an auto sear conversion device, which, when equipped to a firearm, allows it to shoot at a fully automatic rate.

It is alleged that investigators seized an AM-15 rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun from Foster’s vehicle in New Haven after he was federally arrested on Sept. 30.

The indictment, which was returned Nov. 13, charges Foster, Gordon, and Barnes with firearms trafficking conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.

The indictment also charges Foster and Barnes with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.

According to federal officials, it is alleged that Foster was previously convicted in Connecticut state court of first-degree robbery, first-degree failure to appear in court, and sale of a controlled substance.

In addition, officials said, Barnes was previously convicted in Connecticut state court of sale of a narcotic substance and conspiracy to commit third-degree larceny.

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, authorities said.

For more information on the case, click on this link.