Man sentenced to more than 50 years in 2020 East Lyme murder

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) — A Bridgeport man found guilty in a 2020 murder was sentenced Friday to 58 years in jail, according to court records.

29-year-old Jefton Brown was sentenced by Honorable Tracy Lee Dayton in Bridgeport Superior Court to 50 years in jail with special parole at 10 years for murder, and eight years in jail and a $5,000 fine for criminal possession of a firearm.

He pleaded not guilty to both charges. He was found guilty by a jury on Aug. 8.

His charges stem from June 2 of 2020, when 23-year-old Jonathan Dawson was found dead on Interstate 95 in East Lyme around 10:30 p.m.

He was found with two gunshot wounds to the head.

Evidence leading to Brown’s arrest in July of 2020 includes him on video leaving Dawson’s residence earlier on the day he was found dead, cellphone tracking, and the victim’s blood being found in the passenger seat of Dawson’s rented vehicle.

In court proceedings, the jury heard from 20 witnesses and saw 57 exhibits in evidence over a four-day trial.

Brown faced up to 70 years in prison in this case.

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