News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2005

Bridgeport Man Receives 78 Months On Federal Drug Conviction

June W. Stansbury, 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 MICHAEL WALLACE, age 34, of 1600 Barnum Avenue, Bridgeport, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 78 months of imprisonment followed by one year of supervised release.

On May 19, 2005, WALLACE waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a two-count Information charging him with using a telephone to facilitate the distribution of cocaine. WALLACE faced a maximum sentence of eight years, and the 78-month sentence imposed today was within the calculated sentencing guideline range.

U.S. Attorney O'Connor explained that this investigation and prosecution was an offshoot of a larger wiretap investigation conducted in Bridgeport dubbed "Operation Two Terrences." When one the principal defendants in that case was arrested, a cell phone was recovered. Law enforcement officers answered the cell phone when it rang and negotiated with the caller for the purchase and sale of a quantity of cocaine. An undercover officer then met with WALLACE and when WALLACE produced the monies for the negotiated quantity of cocaine, he was arrested.

U.S. Attorney O'Connor praised the Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and officers of the Stratford and Bridgeport Police Departments who investigated this matter.