Joshua Gilbert, known as “Lor Heavy,” a 24-year-old resident of Bridgeport, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in violent gang activity. U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley delivered the sentence in Bridgeport.
The announcement was made by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and Acting Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal John Iverson.
According to court documents and statements made during proceedings, law enforcement agencies including the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police and Bridgeport Police have been investigating several gangs based in Bridgeport that are connected to drug trafficking and violent crimes such as murder. Gilbert was identified as a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”) gang operating out of Trumbull Gardens in Bridgeport. The group targeted rival gangs such as East End gang, East Side gang, West End gang, and PT Barnum gang through violence.
Members of O.N.E., including Gilbert, also committed robberies against drug dealers and customers, sold narcotics, stole vehicles from within Connecticut and other states—often using those cars to carry out further criminal acts—and used social media platforms to promote their activities.
In November 2019, O.N.E. members stole a Lexus Rx350 from Rye, New York. In December 2019 they were involved in several shootings around Bridgeport. One incident resulted in a rival gang member’s mother being shot outside her home. On December 8th that year at P.T. Barnum Housing Complex members used the stolen vehicle during a shooting that damaged multiple cars before driving it to Newfield Avenue where Gilbert and others shot and killed Ty’Quess Moore (also known as “Breezo”), who was 18 years old.
Videos posted on social media showed Gilbert and fellow O.N.E members displaying firearms while celebrating their involvement with gang culture and referencing rivals who had been killed.
Gilbert was arrested on July 19, 2021 and has remained detained since then. On November 21, 2023 he was convicted by a jury on racketeering conspiracy charges.
Authorities reported that approximately 47 individuals associated with various Bridgeport-based gangs have been convicted on federal charges related to this investigation which resolved eight murders and about twenty attempted murders.
The investigation involved cooperation among several agencies: FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces; ATF; DEA; U.S. Marshals Service; Bridgeport Police Department; Connecticut State Police; Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory; as well as police departments from Norwalk, Stamford, Fairfield, Stratford, Ansonia, Monroe, Waterbury, Naugatuck (all CT), Eastchester (NY), Rye (NY), and Newburgh (NY). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Stephanie T. Levick and Rahul Kale prosecuted the case.
“This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.”
