Connecticut State Police Detectives Make Arrest, Seize 59 Legal and Illegal Firearms
State Police detectives arrested a New Fairfield man following the conclusion of a several months-long investigation into the manufacturing and selling of illegal assault rifles and handguns.
On March 24, 2016 detectives from the Connecticut State Police Statewide Urban Violence & Cooperative Crime Control (SUVCCC) Task Force, with assistance from the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), the Connecticut State Police Special Licensing and Firearms Unit (SLFU) and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) executed a Search and Seizure Warrant at a single family residence located at 38 Merlin Avenue in New Fairfield. The owner and occupant of the residence, Michael Giannone, was suspected of manufacturing and selling illegal assault rifles and handguns from his residence.
Through the course of this extensive investigation it was revealed that AR-15 style Assault Rifles were being machined and assembled at, and sold from, 38 Merlin Avenue, by Michael Giannone.
On March 24, 2016 at approximately 8:30 a.m., detectives observed Michael Giannone leave his residence and enter onto New Fairfield school property where he brought, and dropped off his child of for the school day. Giannone was in possession of a firearm while he was on school property. Upon leaving the school grounds Giannone was stopped, with the assistance of the New Fairfield Resident Trooper Office, and taken into custody. Giannone was transported back to his residence where a search was conducted pursuant to the court granted Search and Seizure warrant. A search of the residence revealed many firearms, both rifles and handguns. The Garage/Shed workshop behind the house was found to contain assorted tools and equipment used to manufacture AR-15’s, as well as AR-15 lower receivers and many components utilized in the manufacture of AR-15 Rifles, and consent searches of the two family vehicles were also conducted where many firearms and component parts were found.
The Search and Seizure warrant was for all firearms, firearms components and parts, ammunition, and records of firearms possession and sales. An AR-15 rifle that had been sold to a person prior to the search warrant was executed was also seized by detectives.
FIREARMS & ITEMS: 59 complete Firearms, which included 48 legal firearms
Nine (9) illegal, unregistered Assault Rifles, including two (2) AK-47 Assault Rifles and Five (5) complete AR-15 Assault Rifles with no Serial Numbers
One (1) Rifle with an illegal Silencer as well as two (2) additional Silencers
65 illegal high-capacity magazines
Twelve (12) illegal AR-15 lower receivers without Serial Numbers (these 12 could make 12 individual AR-15's)
Over 10,000 live rounds of ammunition (could be up to 20,000)
On March 24, 2016 Michael Giannone was arrested in conjunction with the search warrant at this resident.
CHARGES: Firearms Trafficking, Possession of Assault Weapon (2 Counts), Sale of Assault Weapons (2 Counts), Possession/Sale of High-Capacity Magazine (2 Counts), Illegal Firearms Transfer (2 Counts)
On June 21, 2016, upon the conclusion of the investigation, Giannone was arrested via arrest warrant granted by the superior court. Giannone turned himself in to Troop A-Southbury where he was fingerprinted, photographed and held on bond pending court.
ARRESTED: Michael K. Giannone
38 Merlin Avenue
New Fairfield, CT
CHARGES: Possession of Assault Weapon (9 Counts)
Possession of Silencers (3 Counts)
Possession of High-Capacity Magazine (65 Counts)
Improper Storage of Firearms
Risk of Injury to a Minor
Possession of Weapon on School Grounds
COURT: Danbury Superior Court
June 21, 2016
BOND: $100,000.00 Surety