United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

Project Safe Neighborhoods: MIDDLEFIELD MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR ROLE IN GUNS FOR DRUGS CONSPIRACY

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KENNETH “Kenny” McCARTHY, age 23, of Middlefield, Connecticut, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Covello also ordered McCARTHY to spend six months in a residential drug treatment facility as a special condition of his supervised release. On December 6, 2006, McCARTHY pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to use or possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to documents filed with the Court, from March 2005 to March 2006, McCARTHY and others conspired to exchange firearms for heroin and crack cocaine. In pleading guilty, McCARTHY admitted that he received a quantity of heroin in exchange for helping to transport two firearms from David Muska of East Windsor to another individual in Hartford. Muska, who was addicted to heroin and cocaine at the time, has admitted that he traded several of his firearms for narcotics.

On April 25, 2007, Muska was sentenced to 101 months of imprisonment. He also has forfeited 88 guns, several thousand rounds of ammunition and other gun parts that they owned and have been seized at the time of his arrest.

U.S. Attorney O’Connor noted that this prosecution is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. This program is aimed at reducing gun violence, deterring illegal possession, sale and trafficking of guns, and improving the safety of residents throughout Connecticut. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

This case is being investigated by the Hartford Violent Crime Impact Team (VCIT), which is a joint task force dedicated to combating violent crime and firearms violations. The VCIT consists of federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian P. Leaming.

CONTACT:

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