Incarcerated Bridgeport Man Charged with Attempting to Murder Federal Grand Jury Witness

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that, on December 4, 2019, a federal grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment charging VAUGHN THOMAS, also known as “Fettiboy LV,” 20, of Bridgeport, with retaliating against a federal grand jury witness.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, between September and November 2019, while he was incarcerated in state custody, Thomas solicited other inmates to murder a federal grand jury witness.  He also wrote letters to non-incarcerated individuals instructing them to murder the witness, and made phone calls to make sure his instructions were followed.

The indictment charges Thomas with one count of obstructing justice by attempting to kill a witness, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of obstructing justice by threatening to engage in conduct intended to cause bodily injury to a witness, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. 

Thomas has been in state custody since May 15, 2019.  He appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel in Bridgeport and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Connecticut State Police and Bridgeport Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.