Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Connecticut Drug Ring

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MYRON BROWN, also known as “Farid,” 49, of Chester, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.

This matter stems from an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force into a drug trafficking organization headed by Tajh Wiley of Norwalk.  The investigation, which included a court-authorized wiretap of Wiley’s phone, revealed that Wiley conspired to distribute large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana and distributed drugs throughout Connecticut and elsewhere with the assistance of several associates.  In April 2021, Brown transported approximately 900 grams of cocaine to an associate of Wiley’s in Manhattan.

Wiley and seven co-conspirators were arrested on June 9, 2021.  In association with their arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately a kilogram of fentanyl, a kilogram of cocaine, approximately 83 grams of crack cocaine, more than 12 pounds of marijuana, two press machines and other items and materials used by Wiley and his co-conspirators to process and package illegal drugs.  Investigators also seized from Wiley jewelry valued at more than $100,000, and a 2021 Mercedes-Benz valued at approximately $146,000.

On May 2, 2022, Brown pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

Brown was incarcerated in Pennsylvania on state drug and firearm charges when he was indicted in this case.  Brown’s state case was later adopted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and is pending.

On July 25, 2022, a jury found Wiley guilty of drug trafficking offenses.  On December 28, 2022, Judge Arterton sentenced him to 12 years of imprisonment.

This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bridgeport Police Department, Fairfield Police Department, Norwalk Police Department, Stamford Police Department, Stratford Police Department, Yonkers (New York) Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service.  The HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford and Danbury Police Departments.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. Doherty, Robert S. Dearington, Margaret M. Donovan and Elena L. Coronado through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.