United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

MEMBER OF BURDEN ORGANIZATION SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that WILLIE PREZZIE, age 29, of Norwalk, Connecticut, was sentenced yesterday, July 21, by United States District Judge Janet C. Hall in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by ten years of supervised release, for his drug trafficking activities with the BURDEN ORGANIZATION, a violent Norwalk-based drug trafficking gang.

In February 2002, PREZZIE pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy charges, admitting that in the late 1990s through June 2001, he was involved in the distribution of multiple kilograms of "crack" cocaine. In fact, at the time of his arrest, law enforcement officers seized from PREZZIE's residence more than a kilogram of cocaine and more than $75,000 in cash. PREZZIE also admitted during court proceedings that he worked with members of the Burden Organization, including David "DMX" Burden and Kelvin Burden.

In February 2003, a trial jury convicted other members of the Burden Organization, including Kelvin Burden, David "DMX" Burden, David "QB" Burden, Cedric Burden and Jermaine Buchanan of numerous racketeering related charges. The Indictment charged these defendants with operating a racketeering enterprise in South Norwalk from 1997 to June 2001, which enterprise was responsible for numerous shootings and other acts of violence in South Norwalk and Bridgeport. Kelvin Burden and Jermaine Buchanan were sentenced to life imprisonment. David "DMX" Burden and David "QB" Burden received sentences of 352 months and 210 months, respectively. Cedric Burden has not been sentenced.

U.S. Attorney O'Connor thanked the Norwalk Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their substantial efforts in investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Appleton, Brian Spears and Stephen Reynolds prosecuted this case, which has included the conviction of 35 individuals associated with the Burden drug trafficking organization.

CONTACT:

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