Criminal Prohibitions

Connecticut prohibits any person from knowingly and intentionally, directly or indirectly, causing one or more firearms that the person owns, possesses or controls to come into the possession or control of another person who the original owner knows or has reason to believe is prohibited from owning or possessing any firearm under state or federal law.¹

A related Connecticut law prohibits any person from purchasing a firearm with the intent to transfer it to any other person the transferor knows or has reason to believe is prohibited from purchasing or otherwise receiving such a firearm under state law.² The state bars any person who is prohibited from purchasing or otherwise receiving or possessing a firearm from soliciting, employing or assisting any person in violating this straw purchase-related prohibition.³

Similarly, any person who sells, delivers or otherwise transfers a firearm to a person knowing that person is prohibited from possessing such firearm “shall be strictly liable for damages for the injury or death of another person resulting from the use of such firearm by any person.”⁴

Connecticut also prohibits any person from making any false statement or giving any false information connected with any purchase, sale, delivery or other transfer of any pistol, revolver⁵ or long gun.⁶

Connecticut penalizes any person, firm or corporation who sells a long gun at retail or a handgun (whether a licensed dealer or private seller) without performing a background check. See our Background Checks in Connecticut page.

Law Enforcement Initiatives

Connecticut has created a statewide firearms trafficking task force for the “effective cooperative enforcement” of state laws concerning the distribution and possession of firearms.⁷ This task force, comprised of municipal and state law enforcement officers, is tasked with:

• Reviewing the problem of illegal firearms trafficking, including its effects on the public, and implementing solutions to address the problem;
• Identifying persons illegally trafficking firearms and focusing resources to prosecute such persons;
• Tracking firearms which were sold or distributed illegally and implementing solutions to remove such firearms from persons illegally in possession of them; and
• Coordinating its activities with other law enforcement agencies within and without the state.⁸

The task force may enter into mutual assistance and cooperation agreements with other states pertaining to firearms law enforcement matters extending across state boundaries, and may consult and exchange information and personnel with agencies of other states with reference to firearms law enforcement problems of mutual concern.⁹

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1. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-202aa(a). The sentence is more severe if the person, on or after October 1, 2007, sells, delivers or otherwise transfers more than five firearms. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-202aa(b).[↩]
2. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-37j(a).[↩]
3. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-37j(b). The penalty is more severe if the violation involves more than one firearm. Id.[↩]
4. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-571f. Connecticut also provides that any person who sells, delivers or provides any firearm to another person to “engage in conduct which constitutes an offense knowing or under circumstances in which he [or she] should know that such other person intends to use such firearm in such conduct shall be criminally liable for such conduct and shall be prosecuted and punished as if he [or she] were the principal offender.” Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-8(b).[↩]
5. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-34(a).[↩]
6. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-37e.[↩]
7. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-38e(a).[↩]
8. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-38e(b), (f).[↩]
9. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-38e(d).[↩]