United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

VALLEY RESIDENTS ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH MARIJUANA DISTRIBUTION, STRUCTURING FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS
                                                                                                           
David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on June 1, 2010, a federal grand jury sitting in Bridgeport returned a superseding indictment charging CHEYNE MAZZA, 28, and his sister, STERLING MAZZA, 24, both of Wedge Hill Road, Oxford; JAMES CANAVAN, 25, of Highland Avenue, Ansonia, and JOSEPH CASSETTI, 60, of Root Avenue, Ansonia, with the manufacture and possession of more than 1000 marijuana plants with the intent to distribute.  If convicted of the charge in the superseding indictment, the defendants face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a maximum term of life, and a fine of up to $4 million.

The superseding indictment further charges CHEYNE MAZZA, STERLING MAZZA, PHILIP NEGRON, 28, of McKinley Avenue, Derby, and GARY EICHENSEHR, 28, of Molsick Road, Seymour, with conspiracy to structure and the structuring of financial transactions at a domestic financial institution to evade federal reporting requirements.  Specifically, the superseding indictment charges that, from October 2009 through in or about December 2009, CHEYNE MAZZA, STERLING MAZZA, NEGRON, and EICHENSEHR structured financial transactions totaling $103,520 with a domestic financial institution to avoid the federal requirement of filing currency transaction reports.  If convicted of the charge in the superseding indictment, the defendants face a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $500,000.

In addition, CHEYNE MAZZA and NEGRON were each charged in the superseding indictment with possession with intent to distribute marijuana stemming from events at NEGRON’S residence on December 1, 2009, when law enforcement discovered MAZZA in possession of more than two pounds of marijuana and NEGRON in possession of more than seven pounds of marijuana.  The superseding indictment also charges STERLING MAZZA with possession with intent to distribute two pounds of marijuana, which was discovered in her bedroom on January 7, 2010, when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at her residence.  If convicted of these charges CHEYNE MAZZA, NEGRON, and STERLING MAZZA, each face a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.

An earlier indictment returned by the federal grand jury on March 2, 2010, charged CHEYNE MAZZA, STERLING MAZZA, JOSEPH CASSETTI, and JAMES CANAVAN with conspiring to manufacture and possess with intent to distribute more than one thousand marijuana plants at properties owned by CASSETTI located at 72 Root Avenue and 63 Root Avenue in Ansonia, as well as at 21 Pawnee Road in Oxford, a CASSETTI family property that had been rented to CHEYNE MAZZA.  If convicted of the conspiracy charge in the original indictment, the defendants face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a maximum term of life, and a fine of up to $4 million.

U.S. Attorney Fein stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which it is the Government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Ansonia Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David X. Sullivan and William M. Brown, Jr.

CONTACT:

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