New London Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Cocaine

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TICO GARRETT, 37, of New London, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the FBI Northern Connecticut Safe Streets Task Force, Norwich Police Department, Waterford Police Department and Groton Town Police revealed that in the summer of 2016, Paul Mott, of Groton, conspired with others to obtain and distribute cocaine.  Mott regularly took orders for cocaine from individuals, including GARRETT, and then drove to his supplier in the Bronx, New York, to obtain the drug.  When he returned to Connecticut, Mott provided the cocaine to GARRETT and others for further distribution.  Some of Mott’s narcotics trafficking activity occurred at his restaurant, Caribbean American Kitchen to Go, located on Truman Street in New London.

GARRETT was arrested on August 8, 2016.  On May 10, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.

Mott also pleaded guilty and, on September 5, 2017, was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment and was ordered to forfeit a 2013 Toyota 4Runner and approximately $3,494 that was seized from him at the time of his arrest.

Three other individuals were charged and convicted as a result of this investigation.

Judge Meyer ordered GARRETT, who is released on a $100,000 bond, to report to prison on January 5, 2018.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.