Norwich Man Enters Plea In Federal Weapons, Narcotics Case: U.S. Attorney

NORWICH, CT — A 36-year-old Norwich man pleaded guilty in federal court in Hartford Wednesday to illegal weapons and narcotics charges, according to United States Attorney Deirdre M. Daly.

Ramael Artis, also known by the street name "Rah," pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to Daly and court documents, a court-ordered search of Artis' home in March of 2016, yielded approximately 50 grams of heroin, a quantity of cocaine, and items used to process and package narcotics for street sale.

Investigators also determined that between July 2015 and March 2016, Artis "obtained four handguns by trading heroin for each" of them.

Artis, who has been incarcerated since his March 2016 arrest, is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford on January 3, 2018. At that time, faces a maximum prison term of 20 years for the heroin offense, and a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least five years on the firearm offense.

This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Safe Streets Task Force, and the Town of Groton, Norwich and Waterford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.

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