Alvin Nardy Crawford, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Connecticut 2018

Alvin “Nardy” Crawford, 34, of Hartford, is headed to federal prison for 42 months after being caught with a loaded revolver while fleeing from police in April 2018. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven, includes three years of supervised release following his prison term.

Crawford’s flight from law enforcement began on Rockville Street when Hartford officers spotted him exiting a vehicle holding a yellow plastic bag. Ignoring loud verbal commands, he bolted, tossed the bag over a fence, scaled the barrier, retrieved it, and kept running. Police caught up with him on Westland Street just moments after he dropped the bag — inside which they found a Taurus .38 Special revolver and five live rounds.

At the time of the arrest, Crawford was a prohibited person under federal law due to multiple prior state felony convictions. Court records show he had previously been convicted of criminal possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, violating a protective order, and second-degree assault. That history turned what might have been a local offense into a federal crime.

Because the firearm had moved in interstate or foreign commerce, federal prosecutors charged Crawford under laws banning felons from possessing guns or ammunition. He has remained in custody since his arrest and pleaded guilty on December 11, 2018, to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police, Connecticut State Police, and Department of Correction. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming prosecuted the case, emphasizing the threat armed felons pose to public safety.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative that marshals federal, state, and local law enforcement to combat violent crime. Authorities say targeting repeat offenders with illegal firearms remains a top priority in making Connecticut communities safer.

Related Federal Cases