New Haven Man Sentenced To More Than Four Years In Prison For Distributing Narcotics

Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CORNELL STREATER, also known as “Messy,” 21, of New Haven, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Warren W. Eginton in Bridgeport to 50 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation conducted by the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Task Force, the New Haven Police Department and the Connecticut State Police into drug distribution and related violence allegedly being committed by members and associates of the Grape Street Crips in New Haven.

On April 9, 2012, a grand jury returned an indictment charging 18 individuals, including STREATER, with narcotics distribution offenses stemming from this investigation.  To date, nine of the defendants have pleaded guilty.  The other nine defendants are detained while awaiting trial.

STREATER has been in custody since his arrest on April 17, 2012. On February 14, 2013, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine base (“crack cocaine”).

With respect to the defendants awaiting trial, Acting U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation in this case was funded in significant part by the United States Attorney’s Office Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and supported by the Office’s Project Safe Neighborhoods and Anti-Gang programs.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Kaplan and Gordon Hall.

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