United States Drug Enforcement Administration

HARTFORD, CT. - Steven W. Derr, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England and David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TORRICK JOHNSON, 30, of Somers Street, Bridgeport, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine. On February 12, 2010, JOHNSON pleaded guilty to one count of using a telephone to facilitate the distribution of narcotics.

This matter stems from “Operation Big Loot,” a six-month investigation spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Stamford Police Department’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Squad. As a result of the investigation, a total of 52 individuals have been charged in state and federal court with various narcotics offenses related to the distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine in the greater Stamford area. During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized approximately $165,000 in cash, one kilogram of cocaine, two kilograms of crack cocaine, five firearms and several vehicles.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 28, 2009, JOHNSON traveled to the Bronx and purchased 50 grams of crack cocaine for distribution to his customers in Connecticut.

JOHNSON has been detained since his federal arrest on December 15, 2009.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) Task Force - which is composed of members of the Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk and Stratford Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police - the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Stamford Police Department’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Squad. The United States Marshals Service, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Bridgeport, Darien, Greenwich and Danbury Police Departments assisted in the arrests of several of the defendants.