Harry Whitley, 23, of New Haven, pleaded guilty on Mar. 19 before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address gun violence and drug trafficking offenses in the community.
Court documents and statements made in court show that on November 4, 2024, Whitley was observed participating in a suspected drug transaction in New Haven while he had an active state arrest warrant and was on probation. He was arrested shortly after in Waterbury and found with fentanyl, cocaine, oxycodone, a Glock 17 9mm semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine, and a Glock-style machine gun conversion device known as a “Glock switch.” Whitley’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for firearm possession and larceny offenses.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and could result in up to life imprisonment. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for June 11. Whitley has been detained since his arrest.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the New Haven Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police investigated the matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Lembo and Nathan Guevremont are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, described as “a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”