Son of missing Connecticut couple pleads not guilty to gun charges
By Richard Weizel
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Reuters) - The 27-year-old son of a Connecticut couple who went missing last month pleaded not guilty to federal gun charges during his arraignment on Thursday in U.S. District Court.
Kyle Navin was arrested on Sept. 8 after authorities investigating the disappearance of his parents, Jeffrey Navin, 56, and Jeanette Navin, 55, found guns, ammunition, traces of heroin, and drug paraphernalia in his home. He was charged with breaking a U.S. law prohibiting users of illegal drugs from owning firearms.
Navin was led into the courtroom in handcuffs, a short-sleeve shirt revealing a heavily tattooed right arm, and walking with a limp. U.S. Magistrate Judge William Garfinkel ordered him to remain in custody and set a Nov. 9 date for jury selection in his trial. He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the gun charges, U.S. Assistant Attorney Tracy Dayton said during the hearing.
Navin has not been charged with any crimes related to the disappearance of his parents, who were last seen on Aug. 4.
Prosecutors said the missing couple's 2003 Dodge pickup was found on Aug. 9 near the father's garbage-disposal business in Westport, with a bullet hole and traces of blood in it.
Police said the couple had more than $2.2 million in debt at the time they vanished.
Prosecutors said Navin worked at the company, and disappeared for about a week after initially being interviewed by detectives about his parents' disappearance.
Prosecutors also recently released a series of text messages between Navin and his father on the day the couple was last seen, in which the father asked Navin if he had harmed his mother.
(Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Sandra Maler)
