U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery | U.S. Department of Justice
Vanessa Roberts Avery, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, has announced that Shacquille Jackson, a 31-year-old resident of Bridgeport, has been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill handed down the sentence in Bridgeport. Following his imprisonment, Jackson will also serve three years of supervised release for illegally possessing firearms.
Court documents and statements reveal that on January 18, 2023, law enforcement officers identified Jackson as having an outstanding arrest warrant related to a domestic violence incident. He was observed driving a car with mismatched license plates. After being stopped by police, Jackson fled from the vehicle carrying a gun but was soon apprehended by officers who recovered the firearm he had discarded. Further searches uncovered approximately 87 grams of cocaine, 19 grams of crack cocaine, $1,167 in cash on his person, and additional items including a semi-automatic handgun and an extended magazine with 18 rounds of ammunition from his car.
Jackson's criminal record includes felony convictions in Connecticut for offenses involving firearms, narcotics, robbery, burglary, and larceny. Federal law prohibits individuals with prior felony convictions from possessing firearms that have traveled through interstate or foreign commerce.
Detained since his arrest date, Jackson entered a guilty plea on September 18, 2024, admitting to unlawful possession of firearms by a felon.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with the Bridgeport Police Department and the Fairfield County Auto Theft Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham prosecuted the case under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). This program collaborates across various levels of law enforcement and communities to reduce gun violence and violent crime overall while enhancing neighborhood safety.
In May 2021, the Justice Department introduced a strategy aimed at reducing violent crime by reinforcing PSN principles such as fostering community trust and legitimacy; supporting organizations that work towards preventing violence; establishing focused enforcement priorities; and evaluating outcomes effectively.
For further details about Project Safe Neighborhoods visit www.justice.gov/psn.
