Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Assaulting Federal Law Enforcement Officer

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Jeffrey Thomas, 21, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Warren W. Eginton in Bridgeport to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for assaulting a federal law enforcement officer.

This matter stems from an investigation conducted by the FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force into narcotics trafficking activity and violent criminal activity in and around the Trumbull Gardens housing complex in Bridgeport.

According to court documents and statements made in court, during the course of a law enforcement operation on May 24, 2012, task force officers attempted to speak to Thomas, who was driving a car that had stopped on the side of the road in the vicinity of Old Town Road and Oman Street in Trumbull. As task force officers approached, Thomas put the car in reverse, rammed the task force officers’ car behind him, and then drove at two FBI agents. One of the agents fired his gun in an effort to protect himself and the other agents, and the agents were able to avoid being struck. With officers in pursuit, Thomas drove away, crashed his vehicle, and fled into a residence on Voight Avenue in Bridgeport, where he was apprehended.

A subsequent search of Thomas’ vehicle revealed quantities of crack cocaine and heroin.

Thomas has been detained since his arrest. On August 14, he pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting a federal officer.

This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, which includes the Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Trumbull Police Departments, in coordination with the Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tracy Lee Dayton and Rahul Kale.