Waterford Man Sentenced To 17 Years In Prison For Possesing Firearms Stolen In Burglary Spree

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARK MISSINO, also known as “Mark Houston” and “Mark Serano,” 46, formerly of Waterford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 204 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for stealing and possessing numerous firearms.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in November 2010, MISSINO and Bernard McAllister possessed 19 firearms that they had stolen during a string of residential burglaries that took place between 2008 and 2010.  The firearms were discovered in an East Lyme storage locker with more than 8,000 other items believed to have been taken during the burglaries. 

Prior to November 2010, MISSINO had been convicted of multiple felony offenses in Connecticut and Florida, including convictions for larceny, burglary, robbery, grand theft and escape.  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.

MISSINO and McAllister have been detained since November 18, 2010, when they were arrested in Massachusetts.  On January 30, 2014, MISSINO pleaded guilty to one count of possession of firearms by a previously convicted felon.  McAllister pleaded guilty to the same charge on June 6, 2013.

MISSINO and McAllister also pleaded guilty in state court to several charges related to the series of residential burglaries.

Judge Underhill recommended that MISSINO’s 204-month federal sentence run concurrently with his state sentence.  MISSINO is scheduled to be sentenced in state court on April 30, at which time he is expected to receive a sentence of 40 years, execution suspended after 25 years.

On March 21, 2014, McAllister was sentenced in federal court to 108 months of imprisonment, concurrently with a state sentence of 25 years, execution suspended after 16 years.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Connecticut State Police, the Massachusetts State Police, and the East Lyme, Greenwich, Madison, Guilford, Glastonbury, North Branford and Wallingford Police Departments.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Spector.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov