State inmate sentenced to nearly 8 years in prison for running cocaine and crack ring while incarcerated
HARTFORD, Conn. – DEA New England Division Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle and United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut John H. Durham announced that Westley Northrup, also known as “Piff,” 31, formerly of Meriden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 94 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for operating a drug trafficking ring while he was incarcerated.
This matter stems from a joint investigation headed by the DEA New Haven Task Force that included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of crack cocaine and seizures of cocaine and cash proceeds. The investigation revealed that Northrup operated a cocaine and crack cocaine trafficking ring while he was incarcerated in state custody at the Cheshire Correctional Institution. The investigation, which included consensually-recorded prison calls, revealed that Northrup conspired with others to purchase cocaine from suppliers, convert some of the cocaine to crack cocaine and then distribute crack and cocaine through a network of dealers in central Connecticut.
On July 20, 2017, a grand jury in New Haven returned a nine-count indictment charging Northrup and 10 other individuals with various offenses. On July 9, 2018, Northrup pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”).
Since September 2016, Northrup has been serving a five-year state prison term for distributing cocaine. He will begin serving his 94-month federal sentence when he completes his state sentence.
This matter was investigated by the DEA New Haven Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Middletown and New Britain Police Departments. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.
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