Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned a six-count indictment charging PAUL GOTTA, 55, formerly of East Windsor, with firearms, explosives and obstruction offenses.  The indictment was returned on January 30, 2014, and unsealed today during GOTTA’s arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford.  GOTTA entered a plea of not guilty.

        According to the indictment and statements made in court, between July and December 2012, GOTTA is alleged to have assisted a juvenile in acquiring a handgun, thousands of rounds of ammunition and explosive material, and also assisted in the manufacture of a pipe bomb.  It is further alleged that in May and June 2013, GOTTA attempted to obstruct the investigation of his involvement in this matter by making false statements to ATF special agents.

The indictment charges GOTTA with one count of aiding and abetting the unlawful transport of a firearm in interstate commerce, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years; one count of aiding and abetting the possession of a handgun by a juvenile, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year; one count of aiding and abetting the possession of ammunition by a juvenile, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year; one count of distribution of explosive material to an individual under the age of 21, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; one count of aiding and abetting the attempted manufacture of a pipe bomb, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and one count of obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

GOTTA was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 19, 2013, and is currently confined to his home in Bridgeport while released on bond.

This matter is assigned to U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford.

U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the East Windsor Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Spector.

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