HAMDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A Hamden man has been sentenced to five years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, according to the Department of Justice.
According to court records, New Haven police arrested Rashawn Samms on June 4, 2022. Police charged Samms after witnessing him conduct a drug deal from his car. He was found to be in possession of a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun in addition to narcotics.
Police found Samm with distribution levels of cocaine, crack, fentanyl, marijuana, two digital scales and $628 in cash.
Police said the handgun was not registered to Samms and it had been purchased in South Carolina in November 2018. The gun had also been used in two shots fired incidents in Hartford in 2021, police said.
On April 3, Samms pleaded guilty to unlawful firearm possession in federal court as part of a drug trafficking crime. He has remained detained since his guilty plea.
New Haven cocaine, heroin dealer sentenced to 10 years
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Haven Police Department conducted the investigation into Samms arrest. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tara E. Levens through the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program.
The program has proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through the program, stakeholders work together to identify the violent crimes affecting communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.
The project focuses its enforcement efforts on violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs to create a significant reduction in crime.
