News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2005

Orange Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Cocaine Charge

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 STEVEN CARPENTER, age 50, of 318 Ridge Street, Orange, Connecticut, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Senior United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns accepted CARPENTER’s plea of guilty this afternoon in New Haven.

On June 4, 2004, a federal grand jury sitting in Bridgeport returned an Indictment charging CARPENTER with the offense. On July 13, 2004, CARPENTER was arrested in Darien, Connecticut, by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Stamford and Darien Police Departments. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement seized approximately four ounces of cocaine from CARPENTER along with three plastic bags of cocaine prepared for street sale. CARPENTER has been detained since his arrest.

Judge Burns has scheduled sentencing for January 23, 2006, at which time CARPENTER faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, and maximum term of 40 years and a fine of up to $2,000,000.

This matter was investigated by the Stamford Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.