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U.S. Attorney John Durham and Norwich Police Chief Patrick Daley announced this week that earlier this month, a federal grand jury in Hartford has indicted 13 people who are charged with allegedly trafficking narcotics.
According to the indictment, in 2018, the FBI, Norwich Police Department and other law enforcement agencies began investigating a drug trafficking organization that was distributing heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine in Connecticut.
The investigation determined that Kareem Swinton, who formerly resided in Norwich, trafficked drugs into the area, where co-conspirators distributed the drugs.
Those charged include:
- Kareem Swinton, a.k.a. “K,” 37, of Owings Mills, Maryland;
- Harold Butler, a.k.a. “Haas,” 41, of Norwich;
- Edwin DeJesus, 48, of Hartford;
- Joshua Glover, 37, of Norwich;
- Lorenzo Grier, a.k.a. “Toot,” 28, of New Haven;
- JOEL HALL, a.k.a. “Slugz,” 30, of Norwich;
- Robert Grant Hall, a.k.a. “Chevy,” 38, of Norwich;
- Georges Labonte, 24, of Norwich;
- Shakeria Nealy, a.k.a. “Sis,” 39, of Waterbury;
- Clivens Pierre, 34, of Putnam;
- Andre Smith, a.k.a. “Dre,” 39, of Woodstock;
- Jerrod Steele, 30, of Ledyard;
- David Sullivan, a.k.a. “Day-Day,” 37, of Norwich.
Between April last year and February this year, it is alleged that Swinton conspired to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine; Grant Hall conspired to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine; Butler, Glover, Joel Hall, Labonte, Pierre, Smith, Steele and Sullivan conspired to distribute cocaine; Swinton, DeJesus, Grier, Joel Hall, Robert Grant Hall and Nealy conspired to distribute heroin and Smith conspired to distribute more than 28 grams of crack cocaine.
The indictment also alleges that Glover, Grier, Joel Hall, Labonte and Pierre each used a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking felony.
Eleven of the 13 defendants were arrested on federal criminal complaints in February. Swinton and other members of the alleged conspiracy appeared on Wednesday in Hartford federal court and entered pleaded not guilty to the charges. Swinton is currently detained while awaiting trial.
Durham noted that Joel Hall and Jerrod Steele have not been apprehended and are being sought by law enforcement. Anyone with information about their whereabouts have been asked to contact the FBI by calling (203) 777-6311.
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