News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2005

Four New Haven Area Crack Dealers Sentenced to Federal Prison

June W. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England and Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that four more defendants have been sentenced in Bridgeport federal court for their involvement in a “crack” cocaine and powder cocaine distribution ring.

This afternoon, United States District Judge Janet C. Hall sentenced AMOS TERRY, also known as “Fame,” age 24, of 31 Stevens Street, Second Floor, New Haven, to 120 months of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. On Wednesday, September 14, Judge Hall sentenced RODNEY NELSON, also known as “Cease,” age 30, of 108 Wilmot Road, Hamden, to 144 months of imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release. On Tuesday, September 13, Judge Hall sentenced both ALBERT SUMLER, also known as “Whack,” age 30, of 42 Pardee Place, Second Floor, New Haven, and KYRON DERIEN, also known as “K.Y.,” age 19, of 2 Skiff Street, Apartment 106, Hamden, to 60 months of imprisonment followed, by four years of supervised release. Each of the four defendants previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine base (“crack” cocaine).

These charges stem from an investigation conducted by the New Haven Drug Task Force, composed of agents and officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Haven and West Haven Police Departments. According to information disclosed in court proceedings, in late 2003, the Task Force began an investigation into the distribution of crack cocaine throughout the New Haven area by Julius Moorning and his associates. A variety of traditional and sophisticated investigative techniques were employed by the Task Force, including court-authorized wiretaps. The investigation disclosed that Moorning and his associates, NELSON, Edward Hines, and Michele Groom, were obtaining large quantities of crack and powder cocaine and transporting it to New Haven for resale. The crack and cocaine were then sold to local distributors in the Newhallville, Dwight-Kensington, Hill, Fair Haven, Eastern Circle, Westville, Brookside and West Hills sections of New Haven, and in Derby and West Haven, Connecticut.

Moorning, NELSON, Hines, and Groom were arrested in April 2004, and they were subsequently indicted on federal drug conspiracy charges with 45 other individuals, including TERRY, SUMLER and DERIEN. In association with searches conducted at the time the defendants in this matter were arrested, a large quantity of crack cocaine and more than $88,000 was seized by law enforcement.

In May, Judge Hall sentenced Groom to 120 months of imprisonment followed by six years of supervised release. Moorning and Hines await sentencing.