Harry Stewart, Crack Cocaine Distribution, CT 2024

BRIDGEPORT, CT – Harry Stewart, 34, known on the streets as “P,” is headed to federal prison for five years after being sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden. Stewart was convicted for his role in a large-scale crack cocaine distribution network operating in southeastern Connecticut.

The case, spearheaded by the Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force East and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, exposed a pipeline funneling kilogram quantities of cocaine and heroin from New York into the region. The operation, led by Sydney Jackson, also known as “Fatz,” involved converting much of the cocaine into crack, then distributing it through a network of dealers like Stewart, reaching towns including Groton, Norwich, New London, Stonington, and even extending into Westerly, Rhode Island.

Investigators documented Stewart’s involvement through multiple controlled purchases of both crack and heroin. He was arrested on December 9, 2015, caught red-handed with crack and heroin already packaged for sale. A federal grand jury returned a 35-count superseding indictment on November 24, 2015, charging Stewart, Jackson, and 11 other individuals with narcotics trafficking and firearm offenses. Approximately 20 additional suspects faced related state charges.

The investigation wasn’t limited to street-level buys. Law enforcement executed eleven state search warrants and seized a substantial haul: 1.3 kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of crack cocaine, 416 grams of heroin, five firearms, and a staggering $53,500 in cash. Stewart pleaded guilty on November 3, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”).

Judge Bolden didn’t just hand down a prison sentence. He also ordered Stewart to forfeit $3,506 in cash seized during his arrest and the broader investigation. Jackson, the alleged ringleader, previously pleaded guilty to a similar conspiracy charge on October 27, 2016, and received a 10-year sentence on February 16, 2017. This case highlights the continued struggle against narcotics trafficking plaguing Connecticut communities.

The successful prosecution was a collaborative effort involving the Connecticut State Police, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut Department of Correction, and multiple local police departments – Groton City, Groton Town, New London, Norwich, and Waterford. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dave Vatti and Joseph Vizcarrondo, alongside Senior Assistant State’s Attorneys Paul Narducci and David Smith, secured the conviction and sentencing.

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