Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TREVOR PIERCE, 30, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for planning to conduct an armed robbery of narcotics stash house.

This matter stems from “Operation Samson,” an initiative headed by the ATF and the Bridgeport and New Haven Police Departments that targeted violent criminals, illegal firearm possession and firearm trafficking. In the spring of 2014, approximately 40 ATF special agents and personnel from Connecticut and across the country were deployed with New Haven and Bridgeport Police to conduct numerous covert operations.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2014, the ATF began an investigation into Carlos “Camby” Colon and Carlos “Joel” Colon, who were known narcotics and firearm traffickers in Bridgeport. Law enforcement also had received information that Joel Colon was interested committing an armed robbery of a drug dealer. During the investigation, which employed the use of an ATF agent working in an undercover capacity, the Colons recruited PIERCE and others to commit an armed robbery of what they believed to be a narcotics stash house of 15 kilograms of cocaine.

On April 11, 2014, Pierce, the Colons, Humberto Soto, Markus Mendez, Nelson Diaz and Hiram “Gringo” Mojica gathered at a location in Stamford where they believed they would be informed of the address of the narcotics stash house, and would then travel to the stash house to conduct the robbery. All seven were arrested at that time. A search of the car that PIERCE, Diaz and Mojica drove to the location revealed a loaded .40 caliber pistol, an EO Tech sight, black gloves, as well as two rolls of duct tape that Diaz had recently purchased. A search of the center console of the vehicle that Soto and Mendez drove to the meet location revealed a loaded and 9mm pistol.

PIERCE has been detained since April 11, 2014. On March 10, 2015, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and one count of use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

PIERCE’s criminal history includes state convictions for robbery, sexual assault, assault and breach of peace. Camby Colon, Joel Colon, Soto, Diaz, Mendez and Mojica have also pleaded guilty. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Richards.

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