West Haven’s Rohan A. James-Dennie, Jr., 22, is headed to federal prison for 36 months after being convicted of illegally possessing firearms while under the influence of controlled substances. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea handed down the sentence in Hartford, sealing a three-year prison term followed by three years of supervised release.
The trouble began November 1, 2015, when a Connecticut State Trooper pulled over a vehicle James-Dennie was driving erratically through Essex. A search turned up a .380 caliber handgun with a hollow point bullet chambered, half a kilogram of marijuana, and $3,400 in cash. The firearm had been stolen in a 2013 residential burglary—adding another layer to the felon’s growing rap sheet.
Just over a year later, on January 12, 2016, West Haven police stopped James-Dennie again. This time, officers found a .22 caliber handgun loaded with six rounds, more than 200 grams of marijuana, and nearly $5,000 in cash. The weapon’s serial number had been partially scratched off—a telltale sign of criminal intent to conceal its origin.
Despite being released on bond after both incidents, James-Dennie’s actions drew escalating scrutiny. On July 7, 2016, the Connecticut Intelligence Center (CTIC) issued a statewide “Officer Safety” alert after a chilling post appeared on his Facebook page: “We need to just start shooting cops RS that’s the only way…100100.” The post lit a fuse across local law enforcement.
The next day, federal agents arrested James-Dennie in East Haven on a criminal complaint. During the arrest, he was found with $3,500 in cash and three grams of marijuana in his pockets. A search of an apartment tied to him uncovered 17 more grams of marijuana and a laser attachment for a firearm—evidence prosecutors said pointed to ongoing criminal activity.
James-Dennie pleaded guilty on October 11, 2016, to one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Lee Dayton and investigated by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets Task Force, Connecticut State Police, and multiple local departments. U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly credited cooperation from Middlesex and Ansonia/Milford State’s Attorneys’ offices, underscoring the multi-agency effort to take James-Dennie off the streets.
Related Federal Cases
- Juan Quinones Gets 37 Months for Gun, Drug Bust in Stamford · Connecticut
- Robert V. Gentile Gets 54 Months for Gun Crimes, Parole Violation · Connecticut
- Stamford’s Charles Barnes Gets 63 Months for Gun Possession · Connecticut
- Alvin ‘Nardy’ Crawford Gets 42 Months for Illegal Gun Possession · Connecticut
- New Haven’s QIYON REED Pleads Guilty to Gun, Drug Charges · Connecticut
Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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