East Hartford Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Narcotics Trafficking Ring

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES BROWN, also known as “Decky,” 25, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 66 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for his role in a narcotics trafficking ring.

This matter stems from a joint law enforcement investigation headed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) into a narcotics trafficking operation headed by Luther Nance, also known as “Papers” and “Cash.”  The investigation, which included numerous controlled purchases of narcotics and physical surveillance, revealed that Nance and his associates sold crack cocaine and heroin in several communities throughout Connecticut utilizing multiple bases of operation, including a house on Carroll Road in East Hartford, the Sheldon Oaks housing complex in Hartford and an apartment on Valley Street in Willimantic.

According to court documents and statements made in court, BROWN received wholesale quantities of crack cocaine from Nance and other members of the conspiracy and supplied the drug in smaller quantities to dealers and customers.  At times, BROWN converted, or “cooked,” cocaine into crack cocaine.  The investigation revealed that BROWN and other members of his crew possessed firearms in association with their narcotics trafficking activities.

On June 27, 2013, a federal grand jury returned a 51-count superseding indictment charging BROWN, Nance and 13 other individuals with narcotics conspiracy and related offenses.

On August 19, 2014, BROWN pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack cocaine”).

BROWN has been detained in state custody since January 2013 and is serving a state sentence of four years of incarceration and six years of special parole for sale of narcotics.  The federal sentence imposed today will run concurrently with the remainder of BROWN’s state sentence.

On March 7, 2014, Nance pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base, and one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering.  He is detained while awaiting sentencing.

This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney, the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Hartford, and the Hartford, Willimantic, East Hartford, Enfield and Middletown Police Departments.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.