Bridgeport Man Pleads Guilty In Federal Gun Case: U.S. Attorney

BRIDGEPORT, CT — A 26-year-old Bridgeport man, who has been convicted of crimes in the past, pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery.

Zan Hairston, Jr. pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford; Hairston has been detained since his federal arrest in February 2023.

According to court documents and statements, in January 2023, the Bridgeport Police Department received a report that Hairston had unlawfully entered a residence of a former girlfriend, searched through her belongings and, during a subsequent FaceTime call with her, threatened her by brandishing what appeared to be a firearm.

Soon after, when Hairston was approached by authorities on Union Avenue in Bridgeport, he attempted to flee, but was apprehended a short distance away. During the incident, officers recovered from the ground near Hairston:

• Taurus TX .22 firearm equipped with a mounted laser and loaded with an extended magazine containing 20 rounds of ammunition
• Glock 26 Gen4 firearm loaded with one round
• Glock magazine with 13 rounds of ammunition

Hairston’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for first-degree conspiracy to commit robbery with a firearm; second-degree burglary; criminal possession of a firearm; and illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce, according to prosecutors.

Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for June 7, at which time Hairston faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.

This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Bridgeport Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale and Lauren Clark through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.