Griffin Charged with Distributing Fentanyl, Faces Up to 20 Years in Prison
Hartford, Connecticut – In a shocking turn of events, a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging JOSEPH GRIFFIN, 42, of Hartford, with two counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl.
According to the indictment, on two occasions in January 2019, Griffin possessed and distributed fentanyl.
The indictment was returned on April 2, 2019, and Griffin was arrested today. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford, entered a plea of not guilty to the charges and was released on a $50,000 bond.
Griffin has been on federal supervised release since December 2017. Prior to beginning his term of federal supervision, Griffin served a 10-year sentence for a federal narcotics conviction related to his distribution of crack cocaine.
If convicted of the new charge, Griffin faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years in prison. He also faces additional penalties if he is found to have violated the conditions of his supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard C. Boyle.
Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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