Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging Tyssan Woods, also known as ‘Tigger’, 18, and Eduardo Cruz, 18, both of Waterbury, with offences related to the theft of firearms from a licensed gun dealer in Salem, the trafficking of stolen firearms, and two armed carjackings.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on March 15, 2024, Woods, Cruz, and others stole 21 firearms from Statewide Pawn Shop, a federal firearms licensee in Salem. Cruz trafficked some of the firearms before he was arrested on March 18, 2024.Â
After the burglary, Woods, using a firearm, and another individual committed two carjackings. Woods was arrested on March 28, 2024.
To date, eight of the stolen firearms have been recovered by law enforcement.
The indictment, which was returned on June 25, 2024, charges Woods and Cruz with theft of firearms from a licensee, an offence that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Cruz has two counts of firearms trafficking, an offence that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years on each count.
Woods with two counts of carjacking, an offence that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years on each count, and Woods with using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, an offence that carries a mandatory term of imprisonment of seven years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
Woods and Cruz have been detained since their arrests. They each appeared in Hartford federal court and entered pleas of not guilty.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.Â
Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.         Â
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