CT man gets seven years in prison for 2019 shootout with police detective, 2018 non-fatal shooting

A New Haven man was sentenced to 7½ years in prison for a January 2019 shootout with a New Haven police detective and a 2018 shooting in the Fair Haven section of New Haven, officials said.

Marcus Rivera was sentenced in New Haven Superior Court this week to 15 years in prison, suspended after 7½ years served, followed by five years of conditional discharge, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.

Rivera pleaded guilty on Dec. 22, 2022, to first-degree attempted assault, attempted assault on a public safety officer, carrying a pistol without a permit and possession of narcotics with intent to sell in connection with the attempted shooting of Det. Francisco Sanchez on Jan. 8, 2019. He also pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and carrying a pistol without a permit for the shooting of a woman in the Fair Haven section of New Haven in December 2018, according to officials.

During the 2019 incident, Rivera ran from officers attempting to arrest him, pointed a firearm at Sanchez and fired a handgun at least once while fleeing from New Haven detectives. There was an exchange of gunfire, and Rivera was struck in his pelvis area, according to court records.

A months-long investigation by the Western District Major Crime Squad of the Connecticut State Police determined that Sanchez was justified in using deadly force when he shot and wounded Rivera, according to the report.

“The State’s Attorney thanks the Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crime Squad for their thorough investigation of the January 2019 incident and the New Haven Police Department for their cooperation and professionalism during the pendency of that investigation and for their own investigation of the December 2018 incident,” New Haven State’s Attorney John P. Doyle, Jr. said in a release on Thursday.