New Haven Man Admits Illegal Possession of Loaded Handgun

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MAHDI HENDERSON, 25, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 22, 2017, as part of an unrelated investigation, members of the New Haven and Hamden police departments executed a search warrant at a New Haven residence and encountered Henderson and three other individuals inside the residence.  During the search, law enforcement discovered a loaded .22 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun under the couch where Henderson had been sitting.  Subsequent forensic analysis of the handgun revealed Henderson’s DNA on the trigger of the gun.

Henderson’s criminal history includes felony convictions for assault in the first degree, possession of a pistol without a permit, and burglary in the second degree.

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.

Henderson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant November 7, 2019, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

Henderson has been in state custody on unrelated charges since October 3, 2018.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, New Haven Police Department and Hamden Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.