Indictment Charges Bridgeport Man with Firearm Offense

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, and Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging LAMAR DWIGHT BLAKE, 46, of Bridgeport, with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

The indictment was returned on January 31, 2023, and Blake was arrested on February 26, 2023.  He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.

As alleged in the indictment, on August 6, 2023, Blake possessed a loaded Glock .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine.

It is further alleged that Blake’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for possession of narcotics with intent to sell, attempted assault in the second degree, possession of narcotics, and criminal possession of a firearm.

It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

If convicted of the charge, Blake faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Blake is released on a $100,000 bond pending trial.

This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Bridgeport Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.