WATERBURY, CT – Jerrell Jamison, 30, a known member of the Paybacc Crips street gang, is headed to federal prison for five years after a raid on his Waterbury home uncovered a massive stash of narcotics and a loaded handgun. U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton handed down the 60-month sentence in New Haven on Friday, followed by four years of supervised release.
The bust, stemming from an ongoing investigation into gang activity and drug trafficking in Waterbury, took place on April 16, 2019, when the Waterbury Police Department’s Vice and Intelligence Unit executed a court-authorized search of Jamison’s residence. Authorities seized over 1,400 individual dose bags of a fentanyl/heroin mix, along with distribution quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana. Also recovered was a loaded .40 caliber pistol and over 40 rounds of ammunition.
Jamison, also known as “Rell” and “Big Bro,” attempted to flee the scene as investigators entered, but was quickly apprehended in the backyard. The firearm seized was later linked, through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), to shell casings found at the scenes of five prior incidents, including an assault that occurred back in December 2016. This connection paints a picture of a repeat offender with a history of violence.
Federal prosecutors stepped in after it became clear Jamison was continuing his criminal activities while out on bond for a related state case. He was federally arrested on March 10, 2022, and pleaded guilty on September 22, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and more than 40 grams of fentanyl – a particularly potent and deadly opioid.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Waterbury Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Jonathan T. Pierpont, Jr. led the prosecution. U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery praised the cooperation of the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Waterbury.
Avery framed the case as part of “Project Safe Neighborhoods,” a Department of Justice initiative aimed at reducing violent crime. The program focuses on targeting the most dangerous offenders and working with local programs to prevent future criminal activity. While these programs often promise much, the five-year sentence for Jamison offers a temporary reprieve for the streets of Waterbury, though the underlying issues of gang violence and drug trafficking remain a persistent threat.
Related Federal Cases
- Vaughn Matthews, Drug Trafficking and Gun Possession, FL 2023 · Florida
- Jason Prawl, Sex Trafficking of Minors, Bridgeport CT, 2023 · Connecticut
- Orlando Tirado, Heroin Trafficking, CT 2023 · Connecticut
- Ramon Gomez, Sex Trafficking of a Minor, CT 2016 · Connecticut
- Roman Pantojas, Heroin-for-Firearms Trafficking, CT 2014 · Connecticut
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Press Release
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