A Rhode Island man has been sentenced in federal court for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Garrito “Tony” Fort, 40, received a sentence of 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release from U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante. Fort had previously pleaded guilty on October 16, 2023, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack stated, "As a convicted felon, the defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Despite that, he brought a loaded firearm to a fistfight, that he initiated." McCormack added that Fort had several chances to disengage but chose to escalate the situation, leading to one man's death and another's severe injury.
James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division, commented on the incident: "The defendant escalated a trivial argument over minor damage to a car by bringing a gun to the confrontation." He emphasized the severe consequences of introducing firearms into avoidable conflicts.
The events unfolded on October 31, 2021, when Fort believed Christopher Colleti had scratched his vehicle. The next day, Fort confronted Colleti with a firearm despite having no prior interaction with him. After an argument and intervention by bystanders failed to de-escalate the situation, Richard Janvrin Jr., another individual at the scene, attempted to disarm Fort but was shot along with Colleti; Colleti died from his injuries.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Seabrook Police Department, and New Hampshire State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander S. Chen and Charles L. Rombeau.