Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Shaquil Gary, 31, from New Haven, received a sentence of 66 months in federal prison. This was followed by three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm while on federal supervised release. The sentencing took place before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport.
In January 2016, Gary had been sentenced to 96 months in prison and five years of supervised release for an armed robbery involving an ATF informant in August 2014. Before his sentencing for this crime, he attempted to distribute a non-public case report with instructions to post it on social media.
In April 2022, authorities linked a white SUV to shooting incidents in New Haven and Hamden. On April 19, investigators observed Gary leaving the vehicle and fleeing from officers while discarding a firearm. He was captured on Hazel Street with a loaded Glock model 17 pistol that had been reported stolen in Waterbury in 2018.
The gun was analyzed through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) and connected to several gang-related shootings in early 2019 while Gary was incarcerated. These included incidents near Eastern Street and Shelton Avenue in New Haven.
Gary's criminal record includes state felony convictions related to narcotics offenses. Federal law prohibits individuals with felony convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition that have crossed state or international borders.
On September 4, 2024, Gary pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
The investigation involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with police departments from New Haven and Hamden. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Dearington prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. In May 2021, the Justice Department enhanced PSN with strategies focusing on community trust-building and violence prevention initiatives.
For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods visit www.justice.gov/psn.