New Haven Man, 37, Charged With Gun, Fentanyl Dealing Charges: Feds

NEW HAVEN, CT —A 37-year-old New Haven man was indicted by a federal grand charging him with gun possession and dealing fentanyl, the Justice Department announced.

Teejay Johnson, who has been held in federal custody since his April arrest, pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to U.S. Attorney for CT, Vanessa Roberts Avery.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in count, Avery said, on March 9, 2022, members of the New Haven Police Department Shooting Task Force and other law enforcement officers executed a state search warrant at Johnson’s home. Avery said that at the time, "Johnson was found coming out of the bathroom and suspected narcotics had been flushed down the toilet."

Investigators took samples of the drugs from the bathroom, and from other areas of the house, found fentanyl and other drugs, more than $8,600 in cash, and a loaded .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine and 16 rounds of ammunition, Avery said.

Johnson’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for firearm and assault related offenses, according to federal prosecutors.

It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

The indictment charges Johnson with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum of 10 years, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, which carries a maximum of 20 years.

Avery stressed that charges are not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia King.

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.