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Feds bust Hartford drug ring, arrest 20

HARTFORD – Twenty people have been charged with federal narcotics offenses related to the distribution of crack cocaine in Hartford’s North End. According...
FBI

HARTFORD – Twenty people have been charged with federal narcotics offenses related to the distribution of crack cocaine in Hartford’s North End.

According to court document, the FBI targeted a drug ring running out of Hartford’s North End that was distributing crack and powder cocaine.

David Gil-Grande of Manchester received shipments of cocaine, hidden in sealed coffee cans, from Puerto Rico. He supplied cocaine to Gerald “Goldie” Brown, Anthony “Pretty” Shelton and Trevon “B.J.” Terry, who made most of the cocaine into crack and distributed both forms of the coke to street-level dealers in the Barbour Street area of Hartford.

The investigation included using wiretaps, physical surveillance, controlled drug purchases and seizures of drugs, a gun, body armor, more than $150,000 in cash, two vehicles and jewelry.

Charged in a 38-count indictment, which was returned by a federal grand jury in Hartford on Thursday were:

David Gil-Grande , 28, of Manchester; Anthony “Pretty” Shelton, 37, of Hartford; Gerald “Goldie” Brown, 35, of Hartford; Trevon “B.J.” Terry, 37, of Newington; Norka Sanchez, 35, of Manchester; Luis “Gordo” Cruz, 37, of Hartford; Lonnie Arnold, 35, of Hartford; Natisha Brown, 33, of Hartford; Eugene “Chalk” McClary, 35, of Hartford; Charles “Chuck” Moreland, 49, of Hartford; Jimmie “Prime” Smith, 43, of Hartford; William Braswell, a.k.a. “Skills,” “Bubba Skillet” and “Handsome,” 44, of Hartford; Dion “Uncle Block” Smith, 47, of Hartford; Richard “Face” Durrant, 31, of Hartford; Julius Nelson, 31, of Meriden; Anthony McKenzie, 54, of Manchester; Andre Cartegena, 28, of Hartford; Heriberto Lebron, 33, of Hartford; Carlos “Los” Rivera, 26, of Hartford and Robert “Y.O. Jones, 30, of Hartford.

On Thursday, January 21, the FBI arrested Gil-Grande, Brown, Terry, Sanchez at their homes and Shelton was arrested the following day at a Branford hotel.

The investigation ended Tuesday with the arrests of Cruz, Natisha Brown, McClary, Moreland, Braswell, Dion Smith, Neslon, McKenzie, Cartagena, Rivera and Jones.

Lebron is currently in state custody. Arnold, Jimmie Smith and Durrant are currently being sought by law enforcement. Anybody who may know where they may be are encouraged to call the FBI at 203-777-6311.

The indictment charges Gil-Grande, Shelton, Gerard Brown, Terry, Sanchez, Cruz, Arnold, Natisha Brown, McClary, Moreland, Jimmie Smith, Braswell, Dion Smith and Durrant with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute narcotics. If convicted of this charge, based on the type and quantity of narcotics charged, Gil-Grande, Shelton, Gerard Brown, Terry and Sanchez face a minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; Cruz, Arnold, Natisha Brown, McClary, Moreland and Jimmie Smith face a minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and Braswell, Dion Smith and Durrant face a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

Shelton, Gerard Brown, and Terry are charged with one or more counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, various quantities of crack cocaine, and Gerard Brown, McKenzie, Cartagena, Lebron, Rivera, and Jones are charged with one or more counts of possession with intent to distribute narcotics.

Nelson, McKenzie, Cartagena, Lebron, Rivera and Jones are charged with use of telephone to facilitate the distribution of controlled substances, a charge that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of four years.

Shelton is charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and one count of possession of body armor by a violent felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of three years.

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