United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

BRIDGEPORT MAN SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR DISTRIBUTING HEROIN

Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY ARMSTEAD, 30, formerly of Charles Street, Bridgeport, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet C. Hall in Bridgeport to 96 months of imprisonment for possessing with intent to distribute heroin.  ARMSTEAD pleaded guilty to the charge on April 22, 2009.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 15, 2008, officers of the Bridgeport Police Department conducted a vehicle stop of ARMSTEAD and then conducted a search of an apartment he occupied on Iranistan Avenue in Bridgeport. ARMSTEAD consented to this search.  As a result of his arrest and the subsequent search, officers recovered 1,039 glassine bags of heroin, $1,321 in U.S. currency, and a stamper used to apply the defendant’s “brand stamp” to the glassine bags of heroin.  The seized heroin, which had a net weight of 30 grams, was enough to provide 1,039 single uses, or “hits,” of heroin.

At today’s sentencing hearing, the Government also presented evidence that ARMSTEAD had transacted substantial quantities of heroin and crack cocaine with other individuals in Bridgeport.

This matter was investigated by members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, which is composed of federal agents and state and local officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force, and the Bridgeport, Stamford, Stratford, Fairfield, Trumbull and Norwalk Police Departments.  This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hal Chen and Peter Markle.

CONTACT:

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