North Grosvenordale Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Northeastern Connecticut Drug Ring

Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES KENNEDY, 21, of North Grosvenordale, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his involvement in a northeastern Connecticut narcotics distribution ring. On October 7, 2008, KENNEDY pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine.

The charge against KENNEDY stems from “Operation Quiet Corner,” a 12-month, FBI and Connecticut State Police investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating primarily in northeastern Connecticut. The investigation included the use of confidential informants, controlled purchases of drugs and court-authorized telephone wiretaps. On April 9, 2008, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment charging KENNEDY and 21 other individuals with various offenses related to the distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, KENNEDY purchased cocaine from a co-defendant and then redistributed the drugs to his own customers. During the course of the investigation, on 13 separate occasions, KENNEDY sold a total of more than 650 grams of cocaine to an individual working with law enforcement.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Statewide Cooperative Crime Control Task Force and the Statewide Organized Crime Investigative Task Force of the Connecticut State Police, with assistance from the Hartford Police Department and Connecticut State Police, Troop D. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.