A Westerly man indicted with 17 others in connection with the Grape Street Crips gang of New Haven was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison Tuesday for using a telephone to facilitate a narcotics felony.

Edward Prezioso, 25, who is also known as "Wu Loc," was intercepted over a court-authorized wiretap discussing the acquisition and distribution of crack cocaine with a co-defendant in New Haven, according to the office of U.S. Attorney David B. Fein. He had pleaded guilty in December.

On April 9, 2012, a grand jury returned an indictment charging 18 individuals, including Prezioso, with narcotics distribution offenses stemming from this investigation. To date, nine of the defendants have pleaded guilty. The other nine defendants are detained while awaiting trial.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Task Force, the New Haven Police Department and the Connecticut State Police. The U.S. Marshals Service and Westerly Police assisted. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Kaplan and Gordon Hall.