May 5, 2015

Hartford Man Sentenced to Prison for Manufacturing and Distributing PCP

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KEVIN BETTS, also known as “KK,” 28, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for manufacturing and distributing PCP.

According to court documents and statements made in court, BETTS manufactured Phencyclidine (“PCP”) in his apartment at 57 Sumner Street in Hartford and, on five occasions in July and August 2014, sold the drug out of his apartment to an individual working with law enforcement.

On August 1, 2014, investigators searched the apartment and recovered more than 60 grams of PCP, scales, packaging material, six firearms, approximately 215 rounds of ammunition and a bullet proof vest.

The investigation revealed that BETTS also supplied bullets to several violent gang members who, because of their criminal histories, could not lawfully purchase ammunition on their own.

BETTS was ordered to forfeit the firearms, ammunition and bullet proof vest that were seized on August 1, 2014.

On February 10, 2015, BETTS pleaded guilty to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises.

This prosecution stems from Project Longevity, a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence. A critical component of the Project Longevity strategy is the “call-in,” a face-to-face meeting where Project Longevity partners engage group members and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. Close associates of BETTS attended a call-in on April 1, 2014, in Hartford, but members of their group were charged with being involved in several shooting incidents since that date.

This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Hartford Police Department and the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force. The FBI task force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.