Ansonia Man Faces Up To 10 Years For Gun Charge

Derrick Fogle bought a gun in Waterbury for protection” nearly two years ago, a decision that may now cost him up to 10 years of his life.

Fogle, 32, of Ansonia, pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court Thursday morning to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon before Senior U.S. District Judge Ellen Bree Burns.

There is a plea agreement in the case, but federal prosecutors and Fogle’s lawyer, Francis O’Reilly, are still working out whether Fogle will face between nine and 10 years or between six-and-a-half and eight years behind bars. 

Authorities say Fogle was the passenger in a car that was spotted by police in Shelton who were at the scene of a Howe Avenue drug raid four days before Christmas 2010.

Police thought the car, driven by Fogle’s wife, looked suspicious,” so they followed the vehicle and stopped it on Route 8 in Derby.

Police wouldn’t say why they thought the vehicle was suspicious, but they said Fogle and his wife knew the residents of the Howe Avenue apartment raided that night.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Silverman said in court Thursday that as Fogle got out of the car, a law enforcement officer saw part of a handgun underneath the passenger’s seat.

The gun — a 9 mm Ruger with a loaded 16-round clip — was determined to have been stolen out of Greenville, N.C. in 2005, according to Silverman.

Fogle, aka Giggles,” Gigs,” and G,” subsequently told police his wife didn’t know about the gun, which he said he had bought in Waterbury for protection.”

Federal prosecutors say Fogle has nine felony convictions. A search of the state Judicial Branch’s online database yields records of convictions for Fogle on charges varying from assault to gun and drug possession dating back to 2002.

Burns scheduled Fogle’s sentencing for Aug. 30. He has been jailed since January on the federal charges, according to court records.

She noted that he has picked up two disciplinary tickets while behind bars and told him at the end of Thursday’s sentencing to watch his step.

You better behave yourself from now on,” Burns told Fogle. Don’t get yourself into more trouble.”

Outside the courtroom, Fogle’s mother and wife said he’s a better person than authorities think.

He’s a good man,” Fogle’s mother, Gloria, said. We’re just hoping it works itself out. We do love him. We’re just praying for the whole situation.”

He’s a good husband and he’s a good father,” Fogle’s wife, Crystal, said.

No matter what happens at Fogle’s sentencing in August, he still faces several charges in state court and is due back at Superior Court in Derby in September.

The case was investigated by the Ansonia Police Department, the Shelton Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with substantial assistance provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to a press release issued by federal prosecutors Thursday.

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