EAST HARTFORD, CT – Justin Gay, 27, is headed to federal prison for nearly eight years after a sprawling investigation revealed a multi-state gun trafficking operation and a relentless cycle of drug dealing. Gay was sentenced today to 96 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport.
The case began to unravel in July 2016 when Gay’s associate, Daniel Vazquez, opened fire on a rival drug dealer in East Hartford. A subsequent search of Vazquez’s home turned up two 9mm handguns – a Ruger LC93 and a Taurus – both traced back to purchases in Minot, North Dakota. Investigators quickly determined Gay, Vazquez, and others were systematically buying firearms, sometimes with counterfeit cash, and funneling them into Connecticut. Five firearms were brought across state lines, two of which were recovered at Vazquez’s residence, and several ended up surfacing at crime scenes around Hartford.
Gay’s initial run-in with the law came on December 8, 2016, when East Hartford Police caught him selling marijuana and found one of the North Dakota-sourced handguns in his possession. He initially pleaded guilty in federal court in September 2019 to possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to unlawfully transport firearms in interstate commerce. However, due to pandemic-related concerns, Gay was released on bond in April 2020 while awaiting sentencing – a decision that would quickly prove to be a mistake.
Just over a year later, on June 14, 2021, Gay was arrested again following an investigation into his roommate, Alexander Belen’s, drug trafficking activities. A search of Gay’s vehicle revealed a terrifying arsenal: a loaded 9mm handgun illegally modified with a “sear switch” to function as a fully automatic weapon, a 50-round drum magazine, another loaded 9mm handgun, and enough fentanyl, cocaine, and crack to constitute distribution quantities. He has remained detained ever since.
On April 20, 2023, Gay pleaded guilty to additional charges including possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment, and committing offenses while on release. Vazquez, who received 84 months in prison on March 5, 2019, is already behind bars. Belen has also pleaded guilty and is awaiting his fate.
The ATF and East Hartford Police Department led the gun trafficking investigation, with support from the Connecticut Department of Correction and the Minot, North Dakota Police Department. The DEA’s Hartford Task Force handled the drug trafficking probe. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Brendan J. Keefe prosecuted the case. This case underscores the lethal consequences of illegal gun trafficking and the persistent threat posed by repeat offenders like Justin Gay.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Weapons|Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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