Conn. Gen. Stat. » Title 53a — PENAL CODE · Chapter 952 — Penal Code: Offenses
Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-216 (2026)

Criminal use of firearm or electronic defense weapon: Class D felony

✓ current as of May 2026
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(a) A person is guilty of criminal use of a firearm or electronic defense weapon when he commits any class A, B or C or unclassified felony as defined in section 53a-25 and in the commission of such felony he uses or threatens the use of a pistol, revolver, machine gun, shotgun, rifle or other firearm or electronic defense weapon. No person shall be convicted of criminal use of a firearm or electronic defense weapon and the underlying felony upon the same transaction but such person may be charged and prosecuted for both such offenses upon the same information.

(b) Criminal use of a firearm or electronic defense weapon is a class D felony for which five years of the sentence imposed may not be suspended or reduced by the court.

(P.A. 81-342, S. 1; P.A. 86-287, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 86-287 added reference to electronic defense weapons.

Cited. 195 C. 651; 226 C. 497; 240 C. 743; 242 C. 143.

Cited. 24 CA 330. Judgment reversed where defendant convicted of violation of statute and Sec. 53a-134(a)(2). 85 CA 708.

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 33 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1991–2026 · leading case: Humble v. Comm'r of Corr., 184 A.3d 804 (Conn. App. Ct. 2018).
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Humble v. Comm'r of Corr., 184 A.3d 804 (Conn. App. Ct. 2018). · cites it 4× “The state charged the petitioner, in two criminal cases, with murder in violation of General Statutes § 53a-54a, criminal use of a firearm in violation of General Statutes § 53a-216, criminal possession of a firearm in violation of General Statutes § 53a-217, and escape in the…”
State v. Velasco, 751 A.2d 800 (Conn. 2000). · cites it 4× “93-306 to General Statutes § 53a-216 (b), a statute that he claimed was “so little used” as to be virtually ineffective in deterring crime.”
State v. Dash, 698 A.2d 297 (Conn. 1997). · cites it 4× “, General Statutes §§ 53a-216 and 53a-217; 7 § 53-202k contains no language to indicate that it is, in fact, a separate felony offense.”
State v. Hardy, 858 A.2d 845 (Conn. App. Ct. 2004). · cites it 8× “The defendant, Raymond Hardy, appeals from the judgment of conviction, rendered after a trial to the court, of robbery in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-134 (a) (2) and criminal use of a firearm or electronic defense weapon in violation of General…”
Ham v. Greene, 729 A.2d 740 (Conn. 1999). · cites it 4× “to 1991) § 53a-59 2 and two counts of criminal use of a firearm in violation of General Statutes § 53a-216. 3 Although it did not identify Cypress as the author, the affidavit prepared by the defendants included information obviously taken from Cypress’ third statement, the one…”
State v. Matos, 694 A.2d 775 (Conn. 1997). · cites it 4× “The defendant was charged in an amended information with murder in violation of General Statutes § 53a-54a, 3 first degree assault in violation of General Statutes *746 § 53a-59, 4 and criminal use of a firearm in violation of General Statutes § 53a-216. 5 Thereafter, the…”
State v. Raynor, 337 Conn. 527 (Conn. 2020). · cites it 2× “In 2013, the defendant was charged with murder in violation of § 53a-54a (a), conspiracy to commit murder in violation of General Statutes §§ 53a-48 and 53a-54a (a), and criminal use of a firearm in violation of General Statutes § 53a-216 (a). The defendant’s first jury trial,…”
Lebron v. Comm'r of Corr., 204 Conn. App. 44 (Conn. App. Ct. 2021). · cites it 2× “The state, in 1997, originally charged the petitioner with murder in viola- tion of General Statutes § 53a-54a (a) and criminal use of a firearm in violation of General Statutes § 53a-216 after he shot and killed another man.”
State v. Hardy, 896 A.2d 755 (Conn. 2006). · cites it 3× “The Appellate Court noted that General Statutes § 53a-216 (a) provides: “A person is guilty of criminal use of a firearm or electronic defense weapon when he commits any class A, B or C or unclassified felony as defined in section 53a-25 and in the commission of such felony he…”
Lebron v. Comm'r of Corr., 175 A.3d 46 (Conn. App. Ct. 2017). · cites it 2× “At about that time, Simon filed a motion for permission to withdraw his appearance on the ground that he could be called as a witness at trial for the petitioner.”
State v. White, 17 A.3d 72 (Conn. App. Ct. 2011). · cites it 2× “The defendant, Solomon White, appeals from the judgment of conviction, rendered after a trial by jury, of murder in violation of General Statutes § 53a-54a, criminal use of a firearm in violation of General Statutes § 53a-216 (a), tampering with a witness in violation of General…”
State v. Eagles, 812 A.2d 124 (Conn. App. Ct. 2002). · cites it 2× “The defendant was found guilty of criminal use of a firearm in violation of General Statutes § 53a-216 (a). The trial court dismissed that count after the defendant was found guilty.”
Show all 33 citing cases →
— Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-216(a) — 2 cases
United States v. Moore, 670 F.3d 222 (2d Cir. 2012).
State v. Raynor, 189 A.3d 652 (Conn. App. Ct. 2018).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.