News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 2004

New Haven Crack Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years

JAN 27-- New Haven, CT…..Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in New England and Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced today that ROSHAWN REED, a.k.a. “Bebe,” age 27, formerly of 48 Stevens Street, New Haven, Connecticut, was sentenced yesterday, January 26, 2004, to 10 years incarceration, to be followed by five years supervised release and 500 hours of community service, for violating federal narcotics laws. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford. REED pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute “crack” on May 15, 2003, and has been incarcerated since his arrest on September 17, 2002.

In an indictment returned in September 2002, a grand jury sitting in Hartford charged REED and eleven other individuals with federal narcotics violations. According to information disclosed in proceedings, the charges arose out of an investigation conducted by the New Haven Drug Task Force. It began as an investigation into the distribution of cocaine base, or “crack,” in and around the Fair Haven Section of New Haven. As the investigation progressed, it was disclosed that a New York-based source organization was transporting multi-kilogram quantities of “crack” on a weekly basis to three distribution networks operating in southwestern Connecticut. One of these networks was operated by Albert Reed, Sr. in the Hill section of New Haven. ROSHAWN REED and the eleven individuals indicted with him were charged in connection with that operation.

Several kilograms of “crack” and in excess of $350,000 were seized in Connecticut and New York in the course of the investigation. All twelve of the individuals charged have entered pleas of guilty and, to date, six have been sentenced. In addition to those charged with REED, eighteen others were charged in two other indictments. Seventeen of these individuals have entered pleas of guilty.