United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

Project Safe Neighborhoods: NORWALK MAN SENTENCED TO MORE THAN 17 YEARS ON FEDERAL FIREARMS CHARGE

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KENNETH MIMS, age 33, formerly of Norwalk, Connecticut, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet C. Hall in Bridgeport to 210 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of federal supervised release. On March 3, 2006, MIMS pleaded guilty to one count of an Indictment charging him with possession of a firearm and ammunition by an armed career criminal.

It is a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess a firearm and/or ammunition that moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Federal law also provides for a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years where, as here, a convicted felon who possesses a firearm has committed, on separate occasions, at least three prior crimes that involve sales of narcotics or crimes of violence.

“The federal penalties for felons who possess guns are appropriately severe, and this office and our law enforcement partners will continue to target career criminals and remove them from the community,” U.S. Attorney O’Connor stated.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of March 14, 2004, Norwalk Police Officers received information that MIMS and others had been engaging in sales of crack cocaine at the Moose Lodge in Norwalk. The information received by the officers further indicated that MIMS was still in the possession of crack cocaine, that he was in the possession of a black handgun and, because it was closing time, that he and his associates were about to leave the Moose Lodge in a particular vehicle to go to Roodner Court, a housing complex in Norwalk.

Upon going to Roodner Court, two responding officers saw the car and the individuals as described. When they approached the vehicle, however, MIMS opened the driver-side rear door and exited the car in an attempt to flee. Officers ordered MIMS to stop, show his hands, and return to the car, and he initially complied. For the next several minutes, however, officers struggled to maintain order and to investigate further as MIMS and his associates each became increasingly resistant and noncompliant with the officers’ requests to keep their hands in sight. Ultimately, back up units arrived and officers were then able to conduct an investigative pat-down for officer safety.

Upon patting down MIMS, officers recovered a black .40 caliber Smith & Wesson Hi-Point semi-automatic pistol, which was loaded with eight rounds of .40 caliber hollow-point ammunition, one round of which was in the chamber. Officers also found a small plastic baggy that contained a distribution quantity of crack cocaine. A search of the passenger compartment of the car also recovered a digital scale in a leather case that was covered with a white powdery residue.

Court documents and statements made at sentencing indicated that MIMS was previously convicted on separate occasions in Connecticut for five felony charges for sale of narcotics; two felony charges of sale of drugs near a prohibited place; two felony charges of possession of narcotics; and a felony charge of escape in the first degree. Court documents and statements further indicated that MIMS’ criminal history included, among other things, a sale of narcotics conviction in which he was observed engaging in sales of cocaine while holding a baby; and another incident in which he fled police officers who had attempted to stop his car, by revving his engine up, causing the tires to spin and smoke, throwing his car in reverse, and directing the speeding vehicle at the officers’ cruiser.

Court documents and statements made at sentencing further indicated that MIMS had either been incarcerated or on supervised release in the community since the age of 17; that he had failed on every occasion to abide by any conditions of supervised release; that he had a lengthy history of disciplinary action while incarcerated; and that he was most recently charged and convicted for possessing 10 baggies of crack cocaine while incarcerated at the Bridgeport Correctional Center awaiting trial in this case.

This case was investigated by the Norwalk Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Reynolds.

The Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative is aimed at reducing gun violence, deterring illegal possession of guns and ammunition, and improving the safety of residents of Connecticut’s cities. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov