New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms and Narcotics Offenses

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SHAYQUAN GRAY, also known as “Scooby,” 23, of New Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven to unlawfully possessing a firearm, ammunition, and narcotics in New Haven.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 14, 2024, Gray, who had an active state arrest warrant, was observed participating in a drug transaction and was arrested on the state warrant. At the time of the arrest, he was found to be in possession of a Ziploc bag containing 80 small individual bags of cocaine, a Polymer 80 “ghost gun” loaded with six rounds of ammunition in the magazine, and over $1,200 in cash.

Gray pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Possession with intent to distribute cocaine carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a consecutive mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and up to life imprisonment.

Gray has been detained since his arrest on March 14, 2024.  Sentencing is scheduled for November 12, 2024 in Hartford.

This matter is being investigated by the New Haven Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.