Norwalk Man Sentenced To Nine Years In Prison For Selling Drugs, Violating Supervised Release
MARCH 28 - (BRIDGEPORT, Conn.) - - John J. Arvanitis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England and David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that Michael Underhill, 42, of Norwalk, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Warren W. Eginton in Bridgeport to 108 months of imprisonment for distributing narcotics and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior narcotics conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 1998, Underhill was sentenced in U.S. District Court in New Haven to 144 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine. He was released from federal prison in October 2007 and began serving his term of supervised release.
On September 25, 2010, Bridgeport Police attempted to pull over Underhill’s vehicle. Underhill accelerated away from police, subsequently crashed his vehicle into the rear of a residence in Fairfield and fled on foot. He was apprehended a short time later. Law enforcement officers recovered quantities of crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, marijuana and Ecstasy, all packaged for sale, from the scene of Underhill’s arrest, and a search of Underhill’s person revealed more than $4000 in cash.
In August 2012, while Underhill was released on bond awaiting disposition of the charges in this case, DEA agents executed a search warrant at Underhill’s residence and found additional quantities of crack, cocaine and heroin.
On January 3, 2013, Underhill pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine (“crack cocaine”).
Judge Eginton sentenced Underhill to 60 months of imprisonment on the narcotics offense, and a consecutive 48 months of imprisonment for the supervised release violation.
This matter was investigated by the Bridgeport Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney H. Gordon Hall.
