Miguel Rivera, Assault Rifle Possession, Connecticut 2023

WATERBURY, CT – Miguel Rivera, 31, of Shelton, known on the streets as “Macho,” is facing a decade in federal prison after a jury convicted him yesterday of illegally possessing an assault rifle and ammunition. The verdict caps a trial held before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven, stemming from a July 5, 2020, incident in Waterbury.

According to court documents, Waterbury Police responded to reports of shots fired near William and Laurel Streets. Upon arrival, officers spotted Rivera attempting to flee the scene, clad in a bulletproof vest, scrambling over a fence. A subsequent search of the area revealed a Romarm/Cugir, AK Type Model, 7.62 x 39mm caliber, semi-automatic rifle with a fully-loaded 30-round magazine. Rivera was also found to be carrying a single round of ammunition in his pocket.

The conviction isn’t Rivera’s first brush with the law. He has prior convictions for felony firearm offenses, robbery, and burglary – a record that made the possession of a firearm and ammunition a clear violation of federal law. Federal prosecutors successfully argued that Rivera, as a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing weapons that had crossed state lines.

But the trouble doesn’t end there. Authorities allege that Rivera, while out on bond awaiting trial for these charges, was found with another illegal weapon: a stolen 12-gauge shotgun, ammunition, and *two* additional Kevlar bulletproof vests on June 21, 2022. He’s been held without bail since July 13, 2022, and faces further charges in federal court related to this new evidence.

U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery emphasized the seriousness of the case, stating that while these are allegations, the legal system presumes innocence until proven guilty. Avery’s office is prosecuting the case through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice initiative aimed at reducing violent crime by focusing on the most dangerous offenders.

The investigation was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Waterbury Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police. Rivera’s sentencing date has not yet been scheduled, but he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment for the initial firearm and ammunition charges. The additional charges from 2022 could significantly increase that potential penalty. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it develops.

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