New Haven Drug Dealer Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GERARD SENIOR, 21, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing cocaine, crack and heroin.

Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the sentencing occurred via videoconference.

According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation headed by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and New Haven Police Department that targeted drug trafficking and related acts of violence by members, former members and associates of the “Island Brothers” street gang in New Haven.  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, also revealed that the drug trafficking organization had established a base of operation in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.  The investigation subsequently identified a second drug trafficking network that involved the large-scale distribution of heroin.

Numerous conversations and text messages intercepted during the investigation revealed that Senior was distributed cocaine, crack and heroin.

On July 9, 2019, a grand jury in New Haven returned a 15-count indictment charging Senior and 24 other individuals with federal narcotics offenses related to the distribution of crack cocaine, cocaine and heroin.  Two defendants were added in a superseding indictment that was returned on November 25, 2019.

Senior has been detained since his arrest on July 10, 2019.  On November 22, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base (“crack”) heroin,

This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, Hamden Police Department, East Haven Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan, Peter D. Markle, Elena L. Coronado and Tara E. Levens.