U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery | U.S. Department of Justice
Kenneth Sturdivant, a 39-year-old resident of New Haven, has pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport.
Sturdivant's legal troubles date back to December 17, 2014, when he was sentenced in Bridgeport federal court to ten years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his role in a gang-related narcotics distribution operation. He was released from incarceration in December 2020.
On November 16, 2023, while still under federal supervision, Sturdivant reportedly discarded a loaded Smith & Wesson handgun and packaged fentanyl laced with xylazine near Congress Avenue after evading a traffic stop by the New Haven Police and abandoning his vehicle. Federal law prohibits individuals previously convicted of felony offenses from possessing firearms or ammunition that have traveled through interstate or foreign commerce.
Sturdivant is awaiting sentencing and faces up to 15 years in prison along with additional penalties for violating the terms of his supervised release. He remains free on a $150,000 bond pending sentencing.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) alongside the New Haven Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing gun violence and other violent crimes through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. In May 2021, the Justice Department enhanced its violent crime reduction strategy within PSN to focus on building community trust, supporting violence prevention organizations, prioritizing strategic enforcement actions, and evaluating outcomes.
For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit www.justice.gov/psn.
