New York Man Stopped On I-95 With Crack, Oxycodone Sentenced To Six Years In Prison

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that, on February 12, JABARI PETERSON, 27, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking crack cocaine and oxycodone pills.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in the afternoon of January 29, 2013, a Connecticut State Trooper stopped PETERSON on Interstate 95 in Greenwich for speeding.  The trooper determined that PETERSON did not have a license and subsequently performed a search.  After the trooper felt a plastic bag of containing crack cocaine in PETERSON’s jacket and attempted to pull it out, PETERSON ran from the officer.  PETERSON then threw the bag of crack, as well as two bags containing oxycodone pills, onto the highway.  Although the narcotics were dispersed or destroyed by vehicles traveling on the highway, the trooper was able to recover nearly 190 grams of crack, 147 30-mg oxycodone pills, and an additional amount of crushed oxycodone powder.  PETERSON was placed under arrest at the scene.

The investigation revealed that PETERSON was on his way to Vermont to distribute the drugs.

PETERSON has been detained since his arrest.  On June 6, 2013, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack cocaine”).

PETERSON’s criminal history includes a Vermont state conviction for selling cocaine.  He was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment on that conviction and was on probation at the time of his federal arrest.

This matter was investigated by Connecticut State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.

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U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
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