Jai Britt, Fentanyl Trafficking, New Hampshire 2020

In a major blow to the opioid crisis, a Manchester man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for fentanyl trafficking. Jai Britt, 45, of Manchester, was sentenced on July 2018 for trafficking in fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and crack cocaine. Britt, who was selling drugs while on probation and wearing an ankle monitor, engaged in a hand-to-hand fentanyl transaction with a cooperating individual. A search warrant of his residence later yielded over 135 grams of crack cocaine, 194 grams of cocaine, and 1.5 grams of heroin.

The case was part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), a program aimed at reducing the supply of synthetic opioids in 10 high-impact areas, including the District of New Hampshire. Under Operation SOS, the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Hampshire designated Hillsborough County as the focus area for prosecuting every readily available case involving fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and other synthetic opioids, regardless of the drug quantity.

“The Justice Department's commitment to fighting the opioids epidemic is stronger than ever, and we are using every tool in our arsenal to disrupt the supply of these drugs on our streets,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. “Operation SOS has had a significant positive impact on the communities where it is being employed. The Department will continue to build on these successes and work to stop the drug traffickers who so callously wreck lives.”

“Since the initiation of Operation SOS in New Hampshire, approximately 93 separate defendants have been charged with drug trafficking offenses in federal court,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “By taking aggressive action against drug traffickers in Hillsborough County, Operation SOS is limiting the supply of fentanyl and other drugs in the community and helping to reduce the overdose death rate in that county. We also are sending a message to drug dealers that their dangerous and unlawful conduct will not be tolerated. We will continue to work with the Manchester and Nashua Police Departments, the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and all of our law enforcement partners in Hillsborough County to identify and prosecute the drug dealers who are damaging the quality of life in the Granite State.”

In addition to Britt, numerous significant drug traffickers have been prosecuted under Operation SOS, including Richard Rowell, 47, of Nashua, who was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison for trafficking crack cocaine while he was on bail for a state offense. Evidence in the case showed that Rowell, who had multiple prior drug trafficking convictions, also had been trafficking crack cocaine and fentanyl.

Several significant Operation SOS matters are pending trial, including Jonathan Sargent, 37, of Manchester, who has been charged with two counts of distributing fentanyl, one count of possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl with intent to distribute, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon, and Robert Audette, 30, of Manchester, who has been charged with one count of distributing methamphetamine, two counts of distributing fentanyl, one count of possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Nationally, since 2018, Operation SOS has resulted in approximately 750 defendants being charged in federal court, with 384 of those defendants charged thus far in FY 20. Most importantly, the districts participating in the program have seen a decline in opioid overdoses. From 2017 to 2019, most SOS counties reported a decline of 14% to 24%. One notable success was in the Western District of Pennsylvania, which reported a decline of 24% in opioid overdoses during the same period.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nh/pr/us-attorney-scott-w-murray-announces-results-fight-against-opioid-crisis-two-years-after