New London ― Anthony “Jak Mac” Whyte, who was convicted on federal charges in 2021 for running a major drug trafficking ring in the city, will serve more than 16 years in federal prison.

Whyte, 50, was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 16 years and three months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

Whyte and former New London restaurant owner Amy Sarcia were both convicted by a jury in 2021 on drug trafficking and money laundering charges. Whyte was additionally convicted of firearm offenses.

Federal authorities said Whyte obtained heroin, fentanyl and cocaine from various sources and distributed the drugs to two dozen co-conspirators across southeastern Connecticut, where the drugs were sold.

Sarcia, the former owner of 2Wives Brick Oven Pizza on Huntington Street in New London, accepted cash from Whyte and provided bogus paychecks from her business to disguise the drug proceeds, authorities said. Whyte also used three New London apartments Sarcia managed to store and sell narcotics.

The arrests stemmed from a months-long joint investigation ― which involved confidential informants, drug purchases and wiretaps ― by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Connecticut Statewide Narcotics Taskforce and the New London, Waterford, Norwich, Groton City, Old Saybrook and Stonington police departments.

Whyte and Sarcia were arrested in 2019 after a raid on Whyte’s apartment turned up large amounts of heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, cash and 10 firearms.

Sarcia was sentenced in October of 2023 to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $7,500 fine. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Angel M. Krull through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program.