News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 27, 2004

Bridgeport Man Pleads Guilty To Cocaine Possession

Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England and Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES PEACE, age 41, of 225 Main Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut, pleaded guilty today to attempted possession of cocaine.

PEACE's plea of guilty was accepted this afternoon by United States Magistrate Judge William Garfinkel in Bridgeport federal court. U.S. Attorney O'Connor explained that JAMES PEACE was arrested on February 11, 2004, when he attempted to purchase cocaine from an officer
of the Stratford Police Department acting in an undercover capacity. The Stratford Police Officer was working in conjunction with a Drug Enforcement Administration-led task force at the time.

As a consequence of today's guilty plea, PEACE faces up to one year in prison, up to one year of supervised release to follow any period of imprisonment imposed, a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 and a maximum fine of $100,000, the costs of investigation and prosecution, and a
mandatory $25.00 fine. Pursuant to a plea agreement, PEACE agreed to pay the costs of investigation and prosecution in the sum of $500.00 and to donate the money he was going to use to purchase the cocaine to the Stratford Police Department's DARE Program.

This case was investigated by a Drug Enforcement Administration-led task force consisting of federal agents, and officers from the Stratford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department and the Stamford Police Department.