WATERBURY, CT – Jaivaun McKnight, 25, known on the streets as “Sav,” is headed to federal prison for 14 years after admitting his role in a brutal Waterbury gang. U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley sentenced McKnight to 168 months imprisonment followed by four years of supervised release, effectively locking up a key player in the 960 gang’s reign of terror.
The sentencing, announced today by U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery, State’s Attorney Maureen T. Platt, and federal and local law enforcement heads, is the latest blow to the 960 gang. The investigation, a joint effort by the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police, began as a focused response to escalating drug trafficking and violence plaguing the city. A 36-count federal indictment in September 2021 implicated McKnight and 15 others in a web of racketeering, narcotics deals, and violent crimes.
Court documents detail a chilling pattern of violence. McKnight pleaded guilty in March to racketeering conspiracy, attempted murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, firearm charges, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He confessed to participating in shootings, assaults, and even attempted murders, all to further the 960 enterprise. A particularly brazen act occurred on September 21, 2018, when McKnight and fellow gang members opened fire on the residence of a rival gang leader on Scott Road, in retaliation for a previous killing.
Investigators caught McKnight with a stash when they arrested him on September 16, 2021 – approximately 600 bags of fentanyl were discovered in his vehicle. He’s been cooling his heels in jail ever since. The FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force spearheaded the investigation, bolstered by support from multiple state and local agencies, including the Southington, Watertown, and New Milford Police Departments.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr., and Natasha M. Freismuth, along with State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo, built the case against McKnight. Their work underscores a commitment to dismantling criminal organizations and bringing perpetrators to justice. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiatives.
PSN aims to reduce gun and violent crime by fostering trust between law enforcement and communities. OCDETF focuses on disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations. Both programs represent a multi-pronged approach to tackling the root causes of crime and ensuring safer neighborhoods. For more information on PSN, visit www.justice.gov/psn.
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Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime|Violent Crime|Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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