Two New Haven gang members are headed to jail for years following federal court sentencings Wednesday.
Ryan Moore, 22, a member of the notorious “R2” gang based in Newhallville, received a 36-month sentence from U.S. District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in federal court in New Haven. Moore previously pleaded guilty to one count of selling crack cocaine. He was one of 47 gang members arrested on federal drug-related charges by a joint federal-local task force.
In a sentencing memo submitted to the court, U.S. Attorney David Fein argued that the judge needed to send Moore a stern message in part because of his behavior after being let out of jail on bond in this case.
“[T]he defendant put himself in an extremely dangerous situation when, contrary to the conditions of his release, he was associating with a group of people on Lilac Street,” Fein wrote. “The group was the target of a drive-by shooting, which resulted in the shooting of the defendant’s god-brother. The defendant did not cooperate with the officers investigating the shooting, and did not report this police contact to the probation officer as required by the conditions of his release. The Government respectfully submits that this episode highlights what his offense already made clear, i.e., that there is a need for the Court’s sentence to deter the defendant from committing crimes in the future and to protect the public from him.”
Also Wednesday, up in federal court in Hartford, U.S. District Judge Robert Chatigny sentenced 28-year-old New Havener Brian “Malik” Redd to 41 months in jail, then three years of supervised release, for his role in the illegal sale of a Kahr Arms 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol to a a person working undercover with the feds. Another man has already received a 63-month sentence in part for his role in teh same sale, which took place at Truman and West streets in New Haven’s Hill neighborhood. Redd belongs to the Grape Street Crips gang.
In a sentencing memo in the Redd case, U.S. Attorney Fein focused on the man’s recidivism.
“The defendant has been convicted of six felony offenses, including three firearm felonies, two narcotics felonies and one violent felony,” Fein noted. “He has also been convicted of six misdemeanors, several of which stemmed from the defendant’s violent conduct or threats of violence. The defendant has been shot five times, and, in 2009, his cousin, Dewayne Redd, was shot and killed in New Haven. Despite these convictions, two lengthy jail terms and his personal exposure to gun violence, the defendant has engaged in criminal conduct that has escalated in seriousness.
“Moreover, during his most recent period of incarceration, the defendant has shown no signs of being deterred. He has continued to affiliate with the Grape Street Crips, a violent street gang in New Haven, and has been cited for fighting. The defendant attributes much of his criminal past to a difficult upbringing and other negative influences. Undoubtedly, the defendant’s childhood was marred by his parents’ drug abuse and financial struggle. But, the defendant also reports that his material needs were met, and that he continues to have a close, loving relationship with his mother.”