Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Charge

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ORLANDO SOTO, 27, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 9, 2018, Hartford Police arrested Soto after a search of a vehicle Soto was using revealed a duffle bag containing three loaded handguns, 276 wax sleeves containing fentanyl, approximately 11 grams of crack cocaine, and a digital scale.  Two of the three handguns had been reported stolen.

Soto’s criminal history includes felony firearm, narcotics and larceny convictions.

Soto has been detained since his arrest.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 16, 2019, at which time Soto faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard C. Boyle and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.