Maurice Earley, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to Deirdre M. Daly, U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 28, 2013, Earley was arrested by Connecticut State Police after he physically assaulted his girlfriend.
Earley punched the victim in the face while they were traveling on I-95 in Bridgeport, then pulled over, dragged her from the car, choked her and punched her several more times, officials report.
The victim was able to escape and was treated at a hospital for a fractured nose, fractured collarbone and other injuries, according to officials.
A subsequent search of Earley’s residence revealed a loaded 9 mm handgun with an obliterated serial number and 93 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, including hollow-point bullets, prosecutors report.
Earley’s criminal history includes felony convictions for drug trafficking and robbery offenses, according to prosecutors.
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.
“It is our priority to prosecute all defendants who are prohibited from possessing firearms,” said Daly. “We are particularly concerned about guns in the hands of predators who commit acts of domestic violence preying on an especially vulnerable population.”
On Feb. 19, 2015, a grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment charging Earley with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He has been detained since March 2, 2015.
On Dec. 14, 2015, Earley pleaded guilty to the charge in the indictment.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Connecticut State Police and Seymour Police Department.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Trumbull-Monroe and receive free news updates.