Department of Justice

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ROBBIE SMITH, 34, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 100 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for firearm and narcotics offenses, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2016, Judge Bolden sentenced Smith to 36 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for participating in a narcotics trafficking organization that distributed heroin and crack cocaine throughout New Haven. He was released from prison in May 2018.

In December 2018, New Haven Police received information that Smith was in possession of a handgun and had been involved in a shooting incident. On December 28, 2018, a court-authorized search of Smith’s apartment revealed a loaded Smith & Wesson K-22 revolver, a quantity of crack cocaine, and drug packaging materials. The revolver had been reported stolen in Madison.

Smith’s criminal history also includes a state conviction for first-degree robbery. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Smith has been detained since his arrest. On July 18, 2019, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”). Smith also admitted that he had violated the terms of his supervised release.

This investigation was conducted by the New Haven Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.

U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.