Stamford Man Faces Additional Federal Charges

A New Haven grand jury indicted a Stamford resident on Monday for a second time on a charge of possession of ammunition by a previously convicted felon, according to a statement released by U.S. State attorney David B. Fein.

The superseding indictment alleges that Nicola Melia, 78, of Brushwood Road, who since March on charges of five counts of collecting extensions of credit by extortionate means, illegally possessed approximately 40 bullets at the time of his arrest.

Melia was arrested on March 23 after an investigation by the and the FBI. According to the allegations set forth in the indictment and statements previously made in court, Melia made “street loans” to an individual in Fairfield County at high interest rates.

If convicted of the extortion charges, Melia faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000, on each count. If convicted of the ammunition charge, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.