Connecticut
A CT man had $750,000 in a minivan. He’s forfeiting it and drug trafficking is sending him to prison
A New Haven man has pleaded guilty to narcotics conspiracy charges in connection to his role in a drug trafficking ring after investigators allegedly found more than $750,000 in cash, 19 kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl in a minivan that was registered to him, officials said.
Jashon Spearman, also known as “J” or “Deuce,” appeared in court in Hartford this week and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and unspecified amounts of crack and heroin, according to the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
Spearman, 35, allegedly sold the drugs in and around the West Hills neighborhood, including the McConaughy Terrace housing complex in New Haven, officials said.
Spearman’s arrest stemmed from an investigation that started in the fall of 2021. Investigators found that Spearman was receiving fentanyl and heroin from James Killard in New York and was getting shipments of cocaine from the mail from Puerto Rico, arranged by Jean “Mangui” Mangual-Castro of West Haven, officials said.
A Connecticut drug dealer got prison. He has to give up a Rolex and $200,000 in jewelry too.
Spearmen then allegedly distributed the drugs to others, many of whom packaged up and sold the fentanyl and crack at the McConaughy Terrace housing complex, officials said.
Spearman and Hillard were arrested in the Bronx, New York, on Feb. 4, 2022, after investigators searched Hillard’s car and found more than 7,000 folds of heroin and fentanyl and about $30,000 in cash, officials said.
Investigators then searched several more locations, including a home on Ward Street and multiple vehicles that Spearman was suspected of using to store drugs. They found 19 kilograms of cocaine, $750,400 in cash, jewelry and fentanyl in a minivan registered to Spearman and more cash, money counters and multiple cell phones and five firearms in the Ward Street home, officials said.
Spearman and six others were indicted by a grand jury on Feb. 15, 2022 and Spearman, Mangual-Castro and two others were also charged on April 19, 2022 with trafficking cocaine through the mail from Puerto Rico, officials said.
All 11 defendants connected to the investigation have now pleaded guilty and Spearman has agreed to forfeit the seized cash, firearms and three vehicles, officials said.
He is set to be sentenced on Oct. 16 and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, officials said.
Connecticut
Smoke from MA fire noticed from Southington to New Haven
GREAT BARRINGTON, MA (WFSB) – Smoke from a large fire in Massachusetts wafted into Connecticut.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said on Tuesday morning that smoke from the fire in Great Barrington traveled south into the state.
“Many residents from Southington to New Haven and beyond may be noticing a strong smell of smoke and haze [Tuesday] morning,” DEEP said.
DEEP said that Tuesday’s weather conditions caused smoke to spread widely and stay close to the ground. That’s what made it more noticeable.
“Local officials are monitoring the situation,” it said. “If you’re sensitive to smoke, consider staying indoors and keeping windows closed until conditions improve.”
More on the forecast can be read in the technical discussion from Channel 3’s meteorologists here.
Copyright 2024 WFSB. All rights reserved.
Connecticut
Serious crash in downtown Stamford causes road closure
A serious car crash closed a busy road in downtown Stamford on Monday night.
The police department said Washington Boulevard is closed at the intersection with Bridge Street because of a serious crash.
Drivers are being asked to stay away from the area.
No additional information was immediately available.
Connecticut
Immigration advocates vow to fight Trump deportation plans
Immigration advocates say they’ve already been preparing for President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to ramp up deportations once he returns to the White House.
“We anticipate that they’re going to be very quick, very rapid, very massive efforts to grab as many people as possible and deport them,” National Immigration Law Center President Kica Matos said during a rally outside the Capitol on Monday.
Matos said hers and other organizations began considering possible actions earlier this year in case Trump won.
Now, Trump is promising to deliver on his campaign pledge, taking to his Truth Social platform earlier in the morning to confirm he plans to declare a national emergency.
He also intends to try and use the military to support his deportation effort, his post confirmed.
Advocates said they’re trying to assume undocumented immigrants in Connecticut that their organizations will offer support.
“If families have to be separated, it defeats the point completely because people are trying to get to the United States to be with their families,” said Tabitha Sookdeo, executive director of CT Students For a Dream.
Sookdeo said her family came from Guyana when she was a teenager and her grandmother, who was a U.S. citizen, was trying to help them also get permanent legal status.
Her grandmother died during the process, though, leaving Sookdeo’s family in limbo.
“Immigration is pretty complicated,” she said.
Democrats, meanwhile, said they won’t support federal deportation efforts.
Attorney General William Tong (D) pointed to the state’s Trust Act, which bars local and state agencies from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts.
“Connecticut is going to care for our immigrant families and immigrant neighbors and friends,” Tong said.
There are some exceptions, including when an undocumented immigrant is convicted of a Class A or Class B felony. Tong wouldn’t say if that means Connecticut has to notify federal authorities of such a conviction.
“I’m not going to issue a legal opinion on the fly from this podium,” Tong said.
Connecticut Republicans were critical of Democrats, though, saying their policies don’t reflect what voters want.
Rep. Vincent Candelora (R-Minority Leader) said Connecticut spends too much money supporting undocumented immigrants, including with Medicaid, education and other assistance.
He also said voters are worried about public safety.
“It’s really out of step, I think, with what the residents and America wants, and that is, you know, safe borders, public safety and we have to get the cost of immigration under control,” Candelora said.
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