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Press Release

Hartford Man Admits Distributing Fentanyl, Violating Supervised Release

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Connecticut

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSEPH GRIFFIN, 42, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl.  Griffin also admitted that he violated the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Griffin was arrested on January 17, 2019, in Hartford, after investigators made a controlled purchase of more than five grams of fentanyl from him.  Griffin possessed an additional two grams of fentanyl at the time of his arrest.

In January 2019, Griffin was on federal supervised release for a 2009 conviction for distributing crack cocaine.  Griffin was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for that offense.  He was released from federal prison in December 2017.

Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for February 10, 2020, at which time Griffin faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for distributing fentanyl, and additional penalties for violating the conditions of his supervised release.

Griffin is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.

This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, Hartford Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard C. Boyle.

Updated November 13, 2019

Topics
Drug Trafficking
Opioids