3 New Haven Men Indicted On Drug Trafficking, Firearms Charges: Feds

NEW HAVEN, CT —Three New Haven men were charged with federal narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses, according to U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, Vanessa Roberts Avery.

Following a seven-count indictment returned by a Hartford grand jury Nov. 2, New Haven residents Donell Allick, Jr., 23, Samuel Douglas, 24 and Jourdin Senior, 30, were arrested last week, according to the U.S. Attorney.

As alleged in an indictment and statements made in court, Avery said that between April and October 2022, Allick, Douglas and Senior "conspired with one another, and with others, to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine in the New Haven area."

In June 2022, Douglas was arrested on state charges after he was found in possession of narcotics while on state probation, court records show. In September and October 2022, law enforcement made controlled purchases of fentanyl from Allick and Senior, Avery said.

On Oct. 24, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of a residence shared by Allick and Senior and seized three handguns, extended magazines, and quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine, some of which was packaged for street-level distribution, the U.S. Attorney said.

A related search of Allick’s car, which had been seen in suspected drug transactions, resulted in the seizure of another handgun, a 33-round extended magazine, and quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine, federal prosecutors said.

The indictment charges Allick, Douglas and Senior with one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine, and Allick and Senior with additional counts related to the distribution of narcotics, Avery said.

The charges carry a maximum of 20 years in prison on each count, she said.

The indictment also charges Allick with unlawful possession of firearms by a felon, which carries a maximum of 15 years in a federal prison, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of at least five years, she said.

All are being held.

Avery "stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt".

This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); the New Haven Police Department; and the Hamden Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara E. Levens.

This case is part of 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.