Navy Sailor Arrested in Connecticut Over AK-47 Rifle

HARTFORD, Conn. – A Navy sailor assigned to a Connecticut submarine base was arrested Monday by police who said he was in illegal possession of an AK-47 rifle.

Cory Dion Caldwell, 24, was arrested at his residence in Waterford, after an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, police Sgt. Mark Willard said. He said Caldwell is a Georgia native assigned to the USS Springfield at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton.

The rifle was seized during a search of Caldwell's home along with ammunition, a 50-caliber handgun and two 45-caliber handguns, Willard said.

Caldwell is charged with illegal possession of an assault weapon and illegal transportation of an assault weapon into Connecticut. He was being held on $200,000 bond and could not be reached for comment. He is to be arraigned Tuesday in New London Superior Court.

No phone number is listed for Caldwell in Waterford.

A spokesman for the submarine base, Christopher Zendan, said he received confirmation that NCIS was supporting the Waterford police department but he did not have further information.

Willard said the NCIS began looking into Caldwell after somebody provided a tip and local police later joined the investigation. The NCIS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.