New London Man Charged with Gun and Drug Offenses

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment today charging ELLSWORTH ROBERTSON, also known as “S,” 35, of Hartford and New London, with narcotics and firearm offenses.

ROBERTSON was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on May 18, 2016.  The complaint alleges that, on November 7, 2015, ROBERTSON was found in possession of distribution quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine in the wake a stabbing incident at the Mohegan Sun casino.  Following his federal arrest, a court-authorized search of ROBERTSON’s New London apartment revealed more than two kilograms of cocaine, a quantity of heroin, thousands of dollars in U.S. currency, and other drug evidence.

The indictment charges ROBERTSON with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute heroin, use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

If convicted of the charges contained in the indictment, ROBERTSON faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for possessing cocaine and heroin, a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years for possessing 500 grams or more of heroin, a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years for possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.

A separate warrant has been issued for ROBERTSON for violation of his federal supervised release.  On May 20, 2008, ROBERTSON was convicted in federal court for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base “crack”).  He was sentenced to 70 months of imprisonment for that offense and was on supervised releases when he is alleged to have committed the offenses charged in the indictment that was returned today.

This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New London Police Department and the Connecticut State Police’s Statewide Narcotics Task Force.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John H. Durham.