Three Norwich residents among nine indicted in alleged statewide drug ring
A federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging nine people for their alleged involvement in a drug ring across Connecticut, U.S. Attorney John H. Durham, FBI Special Agent David Sundberg and Norwich police Chief Patrick Daley announced Thursday.
Each of the nine people have been charged with conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, various amounts of cocaine and/or crack cocaine, according to a news release from the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
The indictment includes three Norwich residents: Darrick "Butchy Brown" Shelby, 60; Darrin Harris, 44; and Kelly McGill, 50.
The others named in the indictment are Luis "Cuchi" Carrasquillo, 49, of Hartford; Jashua "Chuy" Carasquillo, 25, of Hartford; Aaron "Ace" Clayton, 52, of New Britain; Hector Umpierre, 57, of Waterbury; Jermaine Newell, 34, of Waterbury; and Frank Biggs, 62, of Hamden.
The indictment alleges they conspired to distribute narcotics between November 2019 and March 2020, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Law enforcement conducted court-authorized searches of three of their residences, seizing about 3 kilograms of cocaine and nearly $100,000.
No arrests were made at the time due to concerns around the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Attorney's Office said all have since been arrested except Harris, Biggs and McGill, whom police are seeking.
In addition to the FBI and Norwich police, the New London and Hartford police departments investigated the alleged narcotics ring. The U.S. Attorney's Office said the investigation involved court-authorized wiretaps, search warrants, surveillance and drug seizures.
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