A Norwich man was sentenced Thursday to 43 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a southeastern Connecticut drug trafficking ring, U.S. Attorney Leonard C. Boyle announced in a news release.

Victor Encarnacion, 34, pleaded guilty on May 6 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Encarnacion has been detained since his arrest on Feb. 21, 2019, and a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment on March 5, 2019, charging him and 23 others.

This stems from an investigation into narcotics and illegal possession of firearms, which involved court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said while Encarnacion was on probation for narcotics distribution, he got heroin from Royshawn "Boy Roy" Allgood, which he sold to customers and other dealers. On Jan. 3, 2020, Allgood was sentenced to 71 months of imprisonment, and there have been multiple other sentencings since in connection with the trafficking ring.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Connecticut Statewide Narcotics Taskforce East, Connecticut Department of Correction, and police departments in New London, Waterford, City of Groton, and Stonington led this investigation.

e.moser@theday.com