Sentence Handed Down for Bridgeport Meth Dealer

BRIDGEPORT, CT — A 24-year-old Bridgeport man was sentenced to 120 months in prison (10 years), followed by five years of supervised release, for dealing methamphetamine to undercover Fairfield police officers in the summer of 2015.

Mark Leigh-James sold drugs to the officers on four occasions in July and August last year, according to United States Attorney Deirdre M. Daly. Additionally, the DEA’s Bridgeport Task Force also made two additional controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Leigh-James.

"On August 12, 2015, Leigh-James sold an undercover officer approximately 82.9 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $3,600," said Daly in a statement describing some of the transactions. "On September 18, 2015, Leigh-James sold a second undercover officer approximately 104 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $8,000. The purity of the methamphetamine sold by Leigh-James ranged from 98.7 percent to 100 percent."

He was arrested in Bridgeport on October 5, 2015, and during a search of a backpack he had been holding at the time revealed approximately 7.5 grams of heroin, and a search of a second backpack located in Leigh-James' vehicle "revealed a clear plastic bag containing approximately 120 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded Kel-Tec .380 semi-automatic handgun."

Agents also found a loaded Charter Arms .44 magnum revolver, which was in a jacket in the vehicle, and the .380 handgun had been reported stolen in Stratford in 2009.

"At the time of his arrest, Leigh-James was on bond for state charges involving the unlawful possession of a firearm and oxycodone pills."

He has been detained since his arrest, and on June 24, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to Daly.

This matter was investigated by the DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, with the assistance of the Fairfield Police Department. The Task Force includes members from the Bridgeport, Stamford, Stratford, Norwalk, Milford and Trumbull Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy C. Brown.

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