EAST HAVEN, CT – Giovanni Donofrio, 22, is headed to federal prison after admitting to running a clandestine gun manufacturing operation out of his East Haven home. U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton sentenced Donofrio to six months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. The case shines a harsh light on the growing problem of ‘ghost guns’ – privately made firearms without serial numbers – flooding the streets.
The investigation began after New Haven Police pulled over a vehicle involved in a shooting on December 8, 2021. Inside, officers found three firearms, two of which were Polymer80 semi-automatic pistols, commonly known as ghost guns, fitted with Glock slides. A trace of those Glock slides led investigators directly to Donofrio, who had purchased them the previous month. This wasn’t a one-off purchase; a subsequent raid on Donofrio’s residence uncovered a full-fledged gun-making workshop.
Federal agents seized a power drill, drill bits, multiple Polymer80 jigs used to assemble the untraceable weapons, empty packaging for high-capacity 50-round 9mm drums, and an AR15 Carbine Buffer Kit. Even more damning, a search of Donofrio’s phone revealed a trove of text messages explicitly detailing his manufacturing and sales of firearms. The evidence painted a clear picture: Donofrio wasn’t just building guns for himself; he was running a profitable, and illegal, side hustle.
But the impact of Donofrio’s actions extended far beyond profit. Investigators determined that the two ghost guns he manufactured and sold were used in six separate shooting incidents between November 25 and December 5, 2021. At least four homes were struck by gunfire, and witnesses reported a vehicle chase with occupants firing at each other. The firearms weren’t just tools; they were instruments of escalating violence in the streets of New Haven.
Donofrio was initially arrested on October 31, 2022, and ultimately pleaded guilty on June 12, 2023, admitting to building and selling at least five firearms. While the six-month sentence might seem lenient to some, federal prosecutors emphasized that the case was pursued through Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice initiative focused on violent crime reduction. The ATF, along with the New Haven and East Haven Police Departments, collaborated on the investigation.
Donofrio, currently released on bond, is required to self-report to prison on October 3rd. The case serves as a warning: the illegal manufacture and sale of firearms, especially untraceable ghost guns, will be aggressively pursued by federal and local law enforcement, and those who profit from fueling gun violence will face the consequences. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan J. Keefe and Lauren C. Clark prosecuted the case, underscoring the Department of Justice’s commitment to reducing violent crime through targeted enforcement and community partnerships.
Related Federal Cases
- Teejay Johnson, Gun Possession, New Haven CT, 2024 · Connecticut
- Duayne Nelson, Illegal Guns & Machine Gun, New Haven CT, 2023 · Connecticut
- Niquelle Landelius, Ghost Gun & Narcotics, New Haven CT, 2023 · Connecticut
- Giovanni Candelario, Gun Possession, Bridgeport CT, 2023 · Connecticut
- Norman Charles Hilbert, Gun Possession, WV 2024 · Connecticut
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