NEW HAVEN, CT – Jackie Brown, 43, of New Haven, is headed to federal prison for over seven years after a chaotic chase following a car crash exposed his illegal firearm possession. U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley sentenced Brown to 92 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, on Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
The case unfolded on October 7, 2021, when Brown wrecked his car in New Haven. Rather than cooperating with responding officers, Brown attempted to conceal an extended firearm magazine by sitting on it, then bolted from the scene. He led police on a foot chase up the street and through a resident’s backyard before being apprehended. A search of his escape route revealed a loaded .40 caliber handgun, the magazine, and two loose rounds of ammunition.
Brown confessed to ditching the firearm with a loaded magazine during the pursuit. Investigators later determined the extended magazine held a staggering 25 rounds. This wasn’t a first-time offense, or even a second. Brown boasts an extensive rap sheet, including seven prior felony drug convictions and a conviction for attempted assault in the first degree. Federal law strictly prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition that has crossed state lines.
Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham, prosecuting the case, successfully argued that Brown’s actions posed a clear and present danger to the community. Brown has been detained since his arrest last year and pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon on August 12, 2022. The prosecution leveraged the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, a data-driven initiative focused on reducing violent crime by targeting the most dangerous offenders.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the New Haven Police Department, highlighting a coordinated approach to tackling gun violence. PSN aims to not only punish criminals but also to invest in community-based prevention and reentry programs, attempting to break the cycle of violence. However, in Brown’s case, a long history of criminal behavior culminated in a significant federal prison sentence.
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, emphasized the commitment of her office to prosecuting those who illegally possess firearms. This case serves as a stark reminder that possessing a gun while being a convicted felon carries severe consequences under federal law. The ATF Boston Field Division played a key role in the investigation, bringing another dangerous individual off the streets of New Haven.
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