Crime & Safety

315 Pounds of Pot Lands Man in Prison for 37 Months

Authorities say the Long Island man had the drugs shipped to a facility in Enfield, Conn., where a Manchester man was observed allegedly unpacking the package of pot.

Written by Gary Jeanfaivre

A 56-year-old Long Island man was sentenced Tuesday to 37 months in prison for his role in trafficking hundreds of pounds of marijuana into Connecticut.

U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford also ordered the man, Oves St. Orbin Wright, of Massapequa, NY, to supervised release for three years following prison.

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According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 19, 2013, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CPB) agents in western Texas conducted a search of a tractor trailer and discovered approximately 315 pounds of marijuana hidden in a shipping crate.  

CBP agents contacted El Paso DEA agents, who determined that the crate was destined for a shipping facility in Enfield, Conn. Ten days later, on May 29, 2013, Connecticut DEA agents established surveillance at the Enfield shipping facility. 

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There, they observed Wright and Kevin J. Dunbar unpack the crate, load the contents into a van and travel to a storage facility in East Hartford, where they were arrested, according to Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

On Oct. 22, 2013, Wright pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana. 

Dunbar, of Manchester, Conn., pleaded guilty to the same charge on Oct. 23, 2013. He awaits sentencing.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Ahearn.


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