Armed New Haven Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that SHANNON WICKER, also known as “Bishop,” 34, of New Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 16, 2019, law enforcement in New Haven conducted a court-authorized search of a Chapel Street apartment and found a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol; quantities of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana; items used to process and package narcotics for street sale, and other items.  Wicker, who was present during the search, was arrested on related state charges at that time.

Wicker has been detained since his federal arrest on November 6, 2019.

Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for April 8, 2020, at which time Wicker faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

Wicker’s criminal history includes multiple state felony convictions, including convictions for weapon in a motor vehicle, sale of illegal hallucinogens or narcotics, sale of a controlled substance, possession of narcotics, tampering with evidence, and failure to appear.

This matter is being investigated by the New Haven Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret M. Donovan.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.