WATERBURY, CT – Shan Thompson, 25, of Waterbury, is headed to federal prison for two years after admitting he lied to federal agents investigating a wave of gang-related bloodshed in the city. U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley handed down the sentence in Bridgeport on Thursday, adding three years of supervised release to Thompson’s term.
Thompson’s deception centered around a double homicide that rocked Waterbury on November 22, 2017. Two individuals were killed in a shooting near Wolcott Street, and Thompson allegedly provided false statements to FBI special agents probing the incident in both November 2018 and September 2019. He’s been held in state custody since February of 2018, awaiting the outcome of the federal investigation.
The investigation, a collaborative effort between the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, the ATF, and the Waterbury Police Department, has been ongoing for years. Authorities have been meticulously unraveling the threads of drug trafficking and escalating violence linked to local gangs. The Watertown and New Milford Police Departments, along with the Connecticut Department of Correction, also contributed to the probe.
Thompson pleaded guilty on February 2, 2023, to two counts of making false statements to a government agent. While the specifics of what Thompson lied about remain largely shielded from public view, the prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr., and Natasha M. Freismuth, successfully argued that his dishonesty obstructed a critical investigation into serious violent crimes.
Federal prosecutors are framing the case as part of the Department of Justice’s broader initiatives – Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). PSN aims to reduce violent crime by focusing on the most dangerous offenders, while OCDETF targets drug trafficking organizations and their associated criminal networks. This case exemplifies the DOJ’s commitment to dismantling these groups and bringing those responsible for violence to justice.
The prosecution also benefitted from the cross-designation of Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildsen and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, showcasing a strong partnership between federal and local law enforcement. The ATF’s Boston Field Division oversaw the investigation, underscoring the agency’s continued focus on combating gang violence and firearms-related crimes throughout New England.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Organized Crime|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Press Release
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