News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2005

Springfield Residents Indicted for Distribution of Cocaine Base

Springfield, MA... Two Springfield residents were was charged Friday, November 18, 2005, in federal court with distributing crack cocaine and conspiring to distribute crack cocaine.

June W. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan; Kenneth W. Kaiser, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New England; and William Fitchet, Acting Springfield Police Commissioner, announced that JAMES BROWN , age 36, of 57 Montrose Street, Springfield, and KENNETH GRANDISON , age 37, of 21 Clorian Street, Springfield, were charged in an Indictment with distribution of cocaine base and conspiracy to distribute cocaine base.

The Indictment alleges that BROWN and GRANDISON conspired to sell cocaine base, and then sold cocaine base on July 28, 2005. In addition, the Indictment alleges that BROWN sold cocaine base on three other dates in August 2005.

If convicted, BROWN faces up to life imprisonment, to be followed by 8 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. GRANDISON faces up to 40 years' imprisonment, to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Springfield Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Smyth in Sullivan’s Springfield Office.

The details contained in the Indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.