NEW HAVEN, CT – Andrew Francoeur, 36, of Manchester, Connecticut, is headed to federal prison for 33 months after admitting to a brazen scheme involving the manufacture and sale of untraceable “ghost guns.” U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant handed down the sentence yesterday, adding to Francoeur’s already existing state sentence for related drug and firearm offenses.
The case, investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), revealed Francoeur was sourcing firearm parts from a Missouri company and assembling them into complete weapons within a shipping container in Suffield, Connecticut. He wasn’t just building these guns for himself; investigators found evidence he was actively selling them, contributing to the growing problem of privately made firearms bypassing legal safeguards.
The ATF’s investigation kicked into high gear in September 2022. Even while Francoeur was already behind bars on state charges, a search of the Suffield shipping container turned up a fully-equipped ghost gun workshop. Investigators seized tools, disassembled gun parts, ammunition, and other firearm-related items. A follow-up search in November unearthed two storage bins containing even more parts, a completed .22 caliber rifle, over 1,800 rounds of ammunition, 25 high-capacity magazines, and disturbingly, M-80 explosives and related gear.
Francoeur’s already extensive criminal history played a significant role in the sentencing. Court documents show he’s a convicted felon with prior convictions for firearm offenses, drug crimes, burglary, and failure to appear in court. Federal law strictly prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition that has crossed state lines – a clear violation in this case, given the parts originated in Missouri.
On April 27th, Francoeur pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, and one count of manufacturing and dealing in firearms without a license. Judge Bryant ordered the 33-month federal sentence to run consecutively with the state sentence Francoeur is currently serving, meaning he’ll be facing a substantial period behind bars.
Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice initiative aimed at reducing violent crime. The PSN program focuses on targeting the most dangerous offenders and bolstering community-based prevention and reentry programs. While the feds tout PSN, the proliferation of ghost guns continues to be a major headache for law enforcement nationwide, and this case serves as a stark reminder of the lengths some will go to arm themselves outside the law.
Related Federal Cases
- Andrew Francoeur, Ghost Guns, Manchester CT, 2023 · Connecticut
- Frank McChriston, Interstate Gun Theft, Texas 2024 · Missouri
- Deirdre M. Daly, Election Fraud, Connecticut 2016 · Missouri
- Kyle J. Wine, Aircraft Supply Fraud, Connecticut 2024 · Connecticut
- Kyle J. Wine, $7M Aircraft Fraud, Connecticut 2024 · Missouri
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