John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HAROLD BUTLER, also known as “Haas,” 42, of Norwich, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 77 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing cocaine and crack.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, the FBI, Norwich Police Department and other law enforcement agencies began investigating a drug trafficking organization that was distributing heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine in southeastern Connecticut.  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and six controlled purchases of crack from Butler, revealed that Butler and others were distributing narcotics to drug users and other street-level dealers in southeastern Connecticut.  Butler also used his Norwich business, Hat Boyz, to store and distribute narcotics.

Butler has been detained since his arrest on February 25, 2019.  On March 5, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Butler and 12 other individuals with narcotics trafficking offenses.  On June 24, Butler pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”).

Butler’s criminal history spans more than 20 years and includes 19 convictions.

This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police and Norwich, Town of Groton and Waterford Police Departments, with the assistance of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, Baltimore Police Department and Delaware State Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and S. Dave Vatti.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDWIN DeJESUS, 48, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 64 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, the FBI, Norwich Police Department and other law enforcement agencies began investigating a drug trafficking organization that was distributing heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine in southeastern Connecticut.  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that DeJesus supplied heroin to a codefendant who distributed the drug to his own customer in southeastern Connecticut.

DeJesus has been detained since his arrest on February 20, 2019.  On March 5, a grand jury returned an indictment charging DeJesus and 12 other individuals with narcotics trafficking offenses.  On May 31, DeJesus pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin.

DeJesus’ criminal history spans 30 years and includes a federal conviction for conspiracy to assault a federal officer.  In March 1995, he was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment for that offense.

This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police and Norwich, Town of Groton and Waterford Police Departments, with the assistance of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, Baltimore Police Department and Delaware State Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and S. Dave Vatti.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Brian C. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Norwich Police Chief Patrick J. Daley today announced that, on March 5, 2019, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment today charging 13 individuals with trafficking narcotics.  The indictment was unsealed today.

The six-count indictment charges each of the following individuals with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, various quantities of heroin, cocaine and cocaine base (“crack cocaine”):

KAREEM SWINTON, a.k.a. “K,” 37, of Owings Mills, MarylandHAROLD BUTLER, a.k.a. “Haas,” 41, of NorwichEDWIN DEJESUS, 48, of HartfordJOSHUA GLOVER, 37, of NorwichLORENZO GRIER, a.k.a. “Toot,” 28, of New HavenJOEL HALL, a.k.a. “Slugz,” 30, of NorwichROBERT GRANT HALL, a.k.a. “Chevy,” 38, of NorwichGEORGES LABONTE, 24, of NorwichSHAKERIA NEALY, a.k.a. “Sis,” 39, of WaterburyCLIVENS PIERRE, 34, of PutnamANDRE SMITH, a.k.a. “Dre,” 39, of WoodstockJERROD STEELE, 30, of LedyardDAVID SULLIVAN, a.k.a. “Day-Day,” 37, of Norwich

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, the FBI, Norwich Police Department and other law enforcement agencies began investigating a drug trafficking organization that was distributing heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine in southeastern Connecticut.  The investigation, which has included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of crack cocaine, revealed that Kareem Swinton, who formerly resided in Norwich, trafficked narcotics into the Norwich area, where co-conspirators further distributed the drugs.

Between April 2018 and February 2019, it is alleged that Swinton conspired to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; Robert Grant Hall conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; Butler, Glover, Joel Hall, Labonte, Pierre, Smith, Steele and Sullivan conspired to distribute a quantity of cocaine, an offense that carries maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; Swinton, DeJesus, Grier, Joel Hall, Robert Grant Hall and Nealy conspired to distribute a quantity of heroin, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; Butler, Robert Grant Hall and Smith conspired to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; and Glover, Joel Hall, Labonte, Pierre and Steele conspired to distribute a quantity of crack cocaine, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

The indictment also alleges that Glover, Grier, Joel Hall, Labonte and Pierre each used a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking felony, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of four years.

Eleven of the 13 defendants were arrested on federal criminal complaints in February.  Swinton and other members of the alleged conspiracy appeared today in Hartford federal court and entered pleas of not guilty to the charges.  Swinton is detained while awaiting trial.

Joel Hall and Jerrod Steele have not been apprehended and are being sought by law enforcement.  Citizens with information about their whereabouts are encouraged to contact the FBI at (203) 777-6311.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police and Norwich, Town of Groton and Waterford Police Departments, with the assistance of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, Baltimore Police Department and Delaware State Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and S. Dave Vatti.