Man Sentenced To 70 Months In Prison Following Norwich Drug Bust

BRIDGEPORT, CT - Court officials said a New London man was sentenced Friday to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine. The suspect, 32-year old Forrest Hempstead of New London, is also charged with violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.

Court officials said Hempstead's charges came as the result of an investigation into the distribution of narcotics in southeastern Connecticut, wherein a ring of suspects would acquire cocaine and heroin from New York and transport it to the area. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

The drugs were then distributed through a network of dealers in Groton, Norwich, New London, Stonington and the surrounding area, court officials said.

After seizing approximately 150 grams of crack cocaine and approximately 80 grams of heroin from an East Main Street apartment in Norwich in April 2015, officers searched a vehicle and seized a kilogram of cocaine. Police said the investigation revealed the cocaine had been transported from New York to Connecticut on Hempstead’s behalf, and that he was its intended recipient.

Police said Hempstead was arrested on December 9, 2015. He pleaded guilty on February 21 of this year possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

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