Jamaican National Convicted of Marijuana Trafficking, Firearms and Money Laundering Offenses

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on December 18, 2018, a federal jury in Hartford found ANDREW DAVIS, 38, a citizen of Jamaica last residing in Hamden, guilty of marijuana trafficking, firearm possession and money laundering offenses.

According to the evidence presented during the trial, in 2013, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Connecticut State Police began an investigation into individuals who were moving large amounts of marijuana from the Southwestern United States to Connecticut.  During the investigation, investigators intercepted four packages, each containing approximately eight kilograms of marijuana, from the U.S. Mail, and made multiple controlled purchases of the drug from a member of the trafficking ring.

Davis was arrested on February 1, 2017, after investigators conducted court-authorized searches of a Hamden apartment that Davis shared with his girlfriend, Shanice Goffe; a storage unit in West Haven that was rented in Goffe’s name, and two Bridgeport apartments that Davis maintained under different aliases.

A search of the Hamden residence revealed more than one pound of marijuana, a loaded 9mm handgun, boxes of .45 caliber ammunition, $62,409 in cash, and numerous false identifications, including a U.S. passport, all of which contained a photo of Davis.  A search of the storage unit revealed approximately 33 kilograms of marijuana, ammunition and firearm magazines, additional false identifications, and $350,100 in cash.  A search of a Bridgeport apartment rented in the name of “Cordel Freckleton” yielded one firearm, and a search of an apartment rented in the name of “Andrew Carter” revealed more than 60 pounds of marijuana and two firearms, one of which was stolen.

Investigators also seized a 2014 BMW X6, a 2016 Honda Accord, and a 2008 Honda Odyssey, all of which were registered to Goffe and had been purchased with proceeds of the marijuana trafficking enterprise.

The investigation further revealed that Davis, using the name “Steve Williams,” was under investigation in 2008 for marijuana trafficking.  In August 2008, Bridgeport Police conducted a search of Davis’s Bridgeport apartment and discovered a fake identification, photos of Davis/Williams, three firearms, extended magazines, ammunition, drug packaging paraphernalia, marijuana packaged for resale, and eight UPS receipts for packages that had not arrived.  Bridgeport Police subsequently seized the UPS packages, which contained a total of more than 75 pounds of marijuana.  “Williams” was never located.

At the time of Davis’s federal arrest on February 1, 2017, investigators seized more than 40 identification cards with false names, including the names of the addressees of the 2008 Bridgeport packages.  When presented to U.S. Marshals and asked his name, Davis said, “Let’s go with Steve Williams.”

The jury found Davis guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries a consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

Davis is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson on March 13, 2019.

On November 20, 2017, Goffe pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.  On February 28, 2018, she was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment.

This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Connecticut State Police, with the assistance of Bridgeport Police Department, U.S Customs and Border Patrol and the U.S. Marshals Service.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.