New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Crack Cocaine Distribution Charge
| U.S. Attorney’s Office June 30, 2010 |
David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICAL BETHEA, also known as “Kareem,” 25, formerly of Grand Avenue in New Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday, June 29, before United States District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of five grams or more of cocaine base (“crack cocaine”).
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 3, 2009, BETHEA met with an undercover law enforcement officer in the vicinity of Lexington Avenue in New Haven. At that meeting, BETHEA sold the undercover officer more than five grams of crack cocaine. As part of his plea, BETHEA also admitted that he again sold crack cocaine to an undercover officer on March 10, 2009.
BETHEA has been detained since his arrest on August 10, 2009.
Judge Bryant has scheduled sentencing for September 20, 2010, at which time BETHEA faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and a fine of up to $2 million.
This case has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Haven Police Department pursuant to the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher M. Mattei.