Attorney General Tong Secures Dismissal in Challenge to Connecticut’s Felon-in-Possession Laws

08/07/2026

(Hartford, CT)- Attorney General William Tong announced today that the U.S. District Court in Connecticut granted the state’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the state’s laws banning firearm possession by convicted felons.

In the lawsuit, Freeman v. Bondi, the plaintiff, Justin Freeman, a Connecticut attorney convicted of federal tax evasion, argued that the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals convicted of nonviolent felonies to own firearms, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. The plaintiff also claimed Connecticut’s laws violated the Equal Protection Clause because Connecticut treats false statement offenses as misdemeanors, while his federal conviction of tax evasion is classified as a felony.

“This decision reaffirms that Connecticut’s gun safety laws are constitutional. Keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted felons is a commonsense safeguard that continues to keep our communities safe. We will continue to vigorously defend our gun laws to protect families in our state,” said Attorney General Tong.

U.S. District Judge Sarah Russell dismissed Freeman’s Second Amendment claim, holding that the issue was already decided by the Second Circuit in United States v. Zherka, which held that laws prohibiting convicted nonviolent felons from possessing firearms do not violate the Second Amendment. Judge Russell also dismissed Freeman’s equal protection claim, concluding that Connecticut treats tax evasion as a felony, just as federal law does. And even if similar crimes are classified differently, that alone does not violate the Equal Protection Clause. The court also dismissed the plaintiff’s “class of one” equal protection claim because he failed to identify any individuals who were treated differently from him.

Assistant Attorney General James Belforti assisted the Attorney General in this matter.

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