CONTACT: Tom Carson, Public Information Office, (203) 821-3722, (203) 996-1393 (cell)

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDWARD DAILEY, age 42, of 65 Sumner Street, Hartford, Connecticut, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 188 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, pursuant to the federal Armed Career Criminal Act.

On February 9, 2004, DAILEY pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, acknowledging that on October 8, 2002, he possessed a Lorcin .25 caliber semi-automatic handgun, after having been previously convicted of several felonies in Connecticut Superior Court, including assault of a corrections officer, sale of narcotics and assault of a peace officer. DAILEY was stopped on Earl Street in Hartford by Hartford Police after they received information he was in possession of a firearm and after they observed him engaging in narcotics activity at the location, a known drug hot spot in the north end of Hartford.

"It is important to note that this individual will spend more than 15 years in federal prison simply because he is a convicted felon who was caught with an illegal firearm," U.S. Attorney O'Connor stated. "We will continue to work with our Project Safe Neighborhood partners to investigate and prosecute individuals who violate state and federal gun laws to assure that they are apprehended and punished accordingly, before they get a chance to use these weapons."

The case was investigated by Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms and officers of the Hartford Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas V. Daily.