Five Bridgeport Men Sentenced to Federal Prison

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that five Bridgeport men charged as a result of an FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force investigation into narcotics trafficking activity and violent criminal activity in and around the Trumbull Gardens housing complex in Bridgeport have been sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford.

Today, Michael Newsome, also known as “Cream” and “DooDoo,” 29, was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment; and Rahshim Carter, also known as “Jinks” and “Mace,” 24, was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment. On Monday, January 7, Hassan Rogers, also known as “Boobie,” 41, was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment; Jamiel Thompson, also known as “Jamil” and “Tre,” 23, was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment; and Alex Santana, 19, was sentenced to 10 months of imprisonment followed by four months of community detention.

The investigation revealed that several individuals were selling narcotics from parking lots within Trumbull Gardens and utilized lookouts to detect the presence of law enforcement. Between June 2011 and May 2012, task force officers made dozens of controlled purchases of narcotics from Rogers, his sons Thompson and Carter, and Newsome, who is Thompson’s uncle. During the investigation, officers also purchased a semi-automatic handgun, through Rogers, from Santana.

On May 9, 2012, one individual was killed by multiple gunshots and another was shot in the chest and abdomen while visiting the Trumbull Gardens housing complex. On May 24, 2012, federal arrest warrants were issued after the government adopted pending state charges against the five defendants. To date, no one has been charged in the shooting incident.

Newsome, Carter, Rogers, and Thomspon each previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin. Santana pleaded guilty to one count of illegally engaging in the business of dealing in firearms.

Each of the defendants will serve a three-year term of supervised release following their release from prison. They have been detained since their arrests on May 24, 2012.

This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, which includes the Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Trumbull Police Departments, in coordination with the Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tracy Lee Dayton and Rahul Kale.