Shawn Craig, a 38 year old Newton, man who recently pleaded guilty to multiple offense, was found guilty on three counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine, as well as one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, according to the US Department of Justice.
This is far from Craig's first run-in with the law. In fact, at the time of the offense, he was on federal supervised release for a 2014 federal conviction for possessing a stolen firearm and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Craig received a sentence of seven years in prison and three years of supervised release for that prior case, as reported in another article.
The timeline of Craig's criminal activities appears to stretch back even further. In 2008, Boston police announced his arrest on Boston Common, after he had pointed a black replica handgun at an officer during an encounter. The officer fired a single shot, wounding Craig in the shoulder. Charges filed at the time included unlawful possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, as detailed by the Boston Herald.
Throughout the years, Craig continued to disregard the law, orchestrating no less than three drug transactions with an undercover agent between September and October 2022. He even sent an image of a firearm to the agent prior to their third meeting, later subsequently providing the undercover agent with a firearm, ammunition, and a quantity of cocaine, as stated in the US Department of Justice article.
As the press release revealed, federal investigators collaborated closely with Massachusetts State Police, the US Probation Office, and local authorities to secure Craig's arrest on his most recent charges.
With his sentencing scheduled for December 18, 2023, Craig faces the prospect of a lengthy prison term.
