Ansonia Man Sentenced to More Than 3 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and Crack

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KENTWAN ROBINSON, also known as Thomas Robinson, 27, of Ansonia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 37 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl and crack cocaine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in November 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration received information that Robinson was distributing fentanyl in the Bridgeport area.  On three occasions between November 2018 and January 2019, investigators conducted controlled purchases of fentanyl from Robinson at various locations.  During one of the transactions, Robinson also sold a quantity of crack cocaine.

Robinson was arrested at his Ansonia residence on February 6, 2019.  At the time of his arrest, he possessed approximately 10 grams of fentanyl that he intended to distribute and approximately $1,800 in cash.

Robinson has been detained since his arrest.  On July 31, 2019, he pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of fentanyl and cocaine base (“crack”), and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Robinson’s criminal history includes convictions for drug, larceny and weapons offenses.  He also has charges pending in Ohio after it is alleged that, on December 28, 2018, he drove his car from Ohio State Police at a high rate of speed.  After the car crashed, Robinson attempted to flee on foot before he was apprehended.  A search of the car revealed a loaded 9mm handgun with an extended magazine and a “selector switch,” a device used to convert a semi-automatic pistol to a rapid-fire automatic weapon.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department.  The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA, Connecticut State Police and Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, Bridgeport and Trumbull Police Departments.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Vizcarrondo.