Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANDRE DENNIS, 40, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 82 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for narcotics distribution gun possession offenses.
According to the evidence presented during his trial, in November 2018, Dennis was on special parole following his most recent conviction for possession of narcotics. On November 29, 2018, Connecticut parole officers and the Waterbury Police Department conducted a compliance check at Dennis’ residence and found a loaded Smith & Wesson pistol and approximately 45 grams of fentanyl, 12 grams of crack cocaine, and seven grams of powder cocaine. The search also revealed items used to process and package narcotics for sale, and more than $9,000 in cash.
Dennis’ criminal history includes several state felony convictions. 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.
On May 28, 2021, a jury found Dennis guilty of one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”), and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Dennis was found not guilty of one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Dennis has been detained since his arrest on November 29, 2018.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Waterbury Police Department, with the assistance of Connecticut State Parole. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Hal Chen.
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