U.S. Department of Justice

United States Attorney
District of Connecticut

PRESS RELEASE

March 10, 2009
CONTACT:
Tom Carson
Public Information Office
(203) 821-3722
(203) 996-1393 (cell)  

NORWALK MAN ADMITS ROLE IN SOUTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT NARCOTICS DISTRIBUTION RING

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOE YOUNG, also known as “Petta” and “G.P.,” 20, of Freemont Place, Norwalk, pleaded guilty yesterday, March 9, before United States District Judge Mark R. Kravitz in New Haven to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack cocaine”).

On February 14, 2008, a federal grand jury returned a 30-count Indictment charging YOUNG and 21 other individuals with various federal drug trafficking, firearm and witness tampering offenses related to the distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine in southwestern Connecticut.  According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, YOUNG received large quantities of crack cocaine from higher-ranking members of the conspiracy and then re-packaged and distributed the crack to customers and street-level dealers.

Judge Kravitz has scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2009, at which time YOUNG faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $2,000,000.

YOUNG has been detained in federal custody since his arrest on February 25, 2008.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, which is composed of members of federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the Norwalk, Bridgeport, Trumbull, Fairfield and Stamford Police Departments.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tracy Lee Dayton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force.