United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

ANOTHER NEW HAVEN CRACK RING PARTICIPANT SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON
Hamden man to serve 57 months

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson sentenced MARQUISE WESTON, a.k.a. "Scooby," age 22, formerly of 33 Belden Road, Hamden, Connecticut, to 57 months imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for his involvement in drug trafficking in the Fair Haven section of New Haven. On May 6, 2003, WESTON pleaded guilty to two counts of using a telephone to facilitate a narcotics felony. Judge Thompson sentenced WESTON to 48 months imprisonment on the first count and 9 months imprisonment on the second count, to be served consecutively.

WESTON has been incarcerated since his arrest on September 16, 2002.

In an indictment returned in September 2002, a grand jury sitting in Hartford charged WESTON and 18 other individuals with federal narcotics violations. According to information disclosed during court proceedings and documents filed with the court, the charges arose out of an investigation conducted by the New Haven Drug Task Force. It began as an investigation into the distribution of cocaine base, or "crack," in and around the Fair Haven Section of New Haven. As the investigation progressed, it was disclosed that a New York-based source organization was transporting multi-kilogram quantities of crack on a weekly basis to distribution networks operating in southwestern Connecticut. One of these networks was operated by Richard Mack, who was sentenced earlier today to 151 months imprisonment. WESTON was involved in this narcotics trafficking organization. During 2001 and 2002, Mack arranged with the New York suppliers about every ten days for delivery of more than one kilogram of "crack" for about $30,000.

Several kilograms of crack and in excess of $350,000 were seized in Connecticut and New York in the course of the investigation. Eighteen of the individuals charged have entered pleas of guilty. In all, eight have been sentenced and the rest are awaiting sentencing. In addition to those charged with WESTON, ten others were charged in two other indictments. All of these individuals have entered pleas of guilty.

This case was investigated by the New Haven Drug Task Force, which is composed of elements of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Haven and West Haven Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney H. Gordon Hall is prosecuting the case.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov