Hartford Man Sentenced To More Than 7 Years In Prison For Drug Distribution, Illegal Gun Possession

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that VINCENT NELSON, also known as “June,” 29, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 90 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing narcotics and illegally possessing firearms.

According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an FBI Northern Connecticut Violent Crime and Gang Task Force investigation targeting gang and drug related activity in Hartford’s South End.  Beginning in November 2012, investigators made controlled purchases of crack cocaine from NELSON and his associate, Steven Granger, in the South End.  NELSON and Granger were identified by investigators as members of Money Green/Bedroc, a gang that at a time controlled the Bedford and Green Street neighborhoods off Albany Avenue in Hartford’s North End.  Money Green/Bedroc’s principal rival, the AVE, controlled the narcotics activity in adjacent neighborhoods, and the long standing dispute between the two gangs caused violent activity, including shootings and murders, in the area from 2008 until 2012.

NELSON’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions, including a conviction for first degree assault for which he was sentenced to five years of imprisonment in 2009.

NELSON, Granger and another associate, Hector Alfonso of East Hartford, were arrested on January 23, 2013.  On that date, court-authorized searches of NELSON’s residence at 2 Warner Street Extension and Granger’s residence at 52 Elliott Street resulted in the seizure of three handguns, assorted ammunition, body armor, approximately 300 grams of crack cocaine, approximately 300 grams of cocaine, a small quantity of heroin, narcotics packaging material and $45,736 in cash.  Investigators also seized two vehicles.

NELSON has been detained since his arrest.  On July 9, 2014, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”), and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

Granger and Alfonso also pleaded guilty and previously were sentenced to prison terms of 60 months and 18 months, respectively.

The matter was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Gang Task Force, which includes representatives of the FBI, Connecticut State Police, the Hartford Police Department and the Connecticut Department of Correction, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian P. Leaming.

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