New Haven Man, 24, Gets 46 Months For Selling Drugs: Feds

NEW HAVEN, CT —A 24-year-old New Haven man who pleaded guilty Monday to federal drugs crimes faced up to 20 years in lockup. James Lee got three years and eight months, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin, cocaine, and crack, according to U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 13, New Haven police approached Lee as he was sitting in a car at a gas station, a car that federal prosecutors said had fled from police on March 8.

According to federal prosectors, Lee was searched, and had $3,815 on him and $3,443 in the car, which also had a "hidden compartment" in the center console that police said had "heroin, crack and cocaine packaged for distribution, and a loaded 9mm handgun."

A few weeks later, on the morning of April 5, a New Haven police detective in an unmarked police cruiser near Orange and Wall streets saw "another car that had fled from West Haven Police during an attempted traffic stop on April 1." The detective followed the car to a location of Brown Street, where he observed occupants of the vehicle engage in what appeared to be street-level drug transactions, and then to a location on Elm Street, prosecutors noted in a news release.

On Elm Street, James Lee, who had been released on bond, and Darryl Russell got out of the car and went into a building, with Lee arrested when he came out. Authorities said that, "Russell ignored commands not to leave the scene but was apprehended a short distance away after he was found hiding in a trash can."

A search of their car revealed heroin, crack and cocaine packaged for distribution, and more than $2,000 in cash, prosecutors said.

Russell, 32, of New Haven, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base and awaits sentencing.

The New Haven Police Department and the FBI investigated.