Montville Man Who Made and Sold Firearms without a License Sentenced to Prison

Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NICHOLAS DeFELICE, 33, of Montville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for operating an illegal firearm manufacturing business.

According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that beginning in approximately 2013, DeFelice manufactured and sold more than 200 firearms without a license to do so. DeFelice, through a business he called "DeFelice Defense," sold his firearms to individual customers and to licensed firearms dealers, and also placed them on consignment at various commercial firearm dealers throughout Connecticut. As part of an undercover investigation, ATF agents purchased a firearm from DeFelice that he manufactured at their request.

On February 17, 2022, a search of DeFelice's residence revealed two short barrel rifles, 67 other firearms, a silencer with no serial number, more than 28 high-capacity magazines, and other firearm parts.

DeFelice was arrested on July 12, 2023. On October 7, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession of unregistered National Firearms Act firearms.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.