Dashawn Dwyer, 31, of Hartford, pleaded guilty on March 9 before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, according to David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
The case centers on an incident from November 11, 2024, when Hartford Police officers attempted to stop Dwyer as he drove on Albany Avenue. Dwyer was being sought after absconding from state parole. Authorities said he accelerated his vehicle, drove recklessly through side streets, and eventually abandoned the moving car before fleeing on foot. Officers apprehended him shortly afterward.
A search of Dwyer’s vehicle revealed a loaded 9mm Glock pistol equipped with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device known as a “switch.” Police also found distribution quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine along with $10,257 in cash. Court documents indicate that Dwyer’s criminal record includes felony convictions for robbery, assault, and narcotics offenses. Federal law prohibits individuals previously convicted of felony offenses from possessing firearms that have moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for June 3. Dwyer faces up to 15 years in prison and has been detained since his arrest.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hartford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reed Durham and Sean P. Mahard are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, described as a nationwide initiative using Department of Justice resources to address illegal immigration, eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime.
