Gang Member Sentenced for Pistol Whipping, Violent Home Invasions, Kidnapping, Selling Heroin: Officials

DANBURY, CT. — A Danbury man was sentenced to 16 years in prison for his part in a series of violent home invasions, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, said that Marlon Patterson, 32, also known as “Head,” orchestrated a series of violent home invasion robberies of illegal drugs and drug trafficking proceeds.

Officials stated that Patterson and Michael Spears headed the gang and that they rented hotel rooms to package and distribute narcotics. Their investigation revealed that Patterson, Spears and other gang members committed armed home invasion robberies of marijuana dealers on January 30, February 14 and February 18, 2013, according to the news release.

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According to a news release, they wore masks, carried firearms and forced entry into the residence of a known marijuana dealer. Once inside, they stole marijuana and cash. They also pistol whipped a victim and threatened to kill others in the home, officials said.

In May 2013, Patterson and his associate, Paul Whitehurst, kidnapped an individual who owed Whitehurst $100 in drug money, federal authorities said in their statement.

Whitehurst physically and verbally assaulted the victim, drove the victim to a reservoir, pushed the victim into the water and threw rocks at him, according to the report, which stated that Patterson recorded the incident on his phone and can be heard laughing in the video.

Officials said that Whitehurst and Patterson then forced the victim to drink a liter of vodka in its entirety in 15 minutes until the victim lost consciousness.

The victim was then driven to a trap house and locked in a bathroom overnight, according to the report. The next day, the duo made the victim work off his $100 drug debt by selling heroin to customers, officials said.

Patterson has been detained since his arrest in October 2013.

Patterson’s 16 year prison sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release.

Whitehurst was sentenced in 2015 to four years in prison while Michael Spears has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.