NEW HAVEN, CT – A pair of former Danbury residents are headed to federal prison after a jury found them guilty of skirting gun laws, according to court documents unsealed Monday. Darnell Macon, Sr., 46, and Kharima Brooks, 24, were sentenced in U.S. District Court for their roles in a scheme to obtain firearms despite Macon’s extensive criminal history.
Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer handed down an 18-month sentence for Macon, coupled with three years of supervised release. Brooks received a slightly lighter sentence of 12 months and one day, followed by three years under supervision. Both are required to surrender to authorities on January 15, 2024, having been released on bond and currently residing in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The case stems back to May 27, 2021, when Macon and Brooks visited a licensed firearms dealer in Kent, Connecticut. Macon, already a convicted felon due to 2002 and 2003 convictions in New York for assault and criminal weapon possession, was prohibited from owning firearms. The pair allegedly circumvented this by having Brooks purchase a Smith & Wesson, Model SD40VE, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol on his behalf. A second firearm purchased by Brooks in Stratford days earlier also became central to the investigation.
ATF agents, acting on information regarding the purchases, raided the couple’s Danbury residence on June 7, 2021. The search uncovered both the Smith & Wesson and the second firearm hidden in Macon’s bedroom closet. While the jury found Brooks not guilty of making false statements during the purchase, they convicted her of aiding and abetting Macon’s illegal possession. Macon was found guilty of one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Prosecutors A. Reed Durham and David J. Sheldon presented evidence illustrating the clear violation of federal law prohibiting convicted felons from possessing firearms that have crossed state lines. The ATF, with support from the Danbury Police Department, led the investigation, highlighting a coordinated effort to keep illegal weapons off the streets. This case is being touted as a success under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice initiative focused on reducing violent crime.
PSN, according to the DOJ, targets the most dangerous offenders and pairs enforcement with community-based prevention and reentry programs. While officials hail these programs as effective, critics question whether they address the root causes of crime or simply result in a revolving door of incarceration. Macon and Brooks’ sentences, however, represent the immediate consequence of their actions under current federal law.
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