Rodney T. Morgan, 48, of Norwich, is headed back behind bars — this time for 51 months — after being caught red-handed distributing oxycodone, violating the terms of his federal supervised release. The sentence, handed down today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford, marks Morgan’s third federal conviction and underscores a relentless cycle of drug crime in eastern Connecticut.
Morgan’s latest fall from grace traces back to November 23, 2010, when Judge Chatigny previously sentenced him to 49 months in prison for distributing oxycodone, cocaine, and crack cocaine. Upon release in July 2013, he began serving a six-year term of supervised release — a conditional leash he would soon snap. By October 2016, law enforcement had reason to believe Morgan was back in the game, receiving bulk shipments of prescription narcotics and storing them at a Stonington residence tied to a friend.
The bust came on October 12, 2016, when Norwich Police detectives pulled Morgan over just after he left the Stonington property. A search of his vehicle turned up more than 100 oxycodone pills — clear evidence of intent to distribute. That wasn’t all. A follow-up search of the Stonington home uncovered over 300 additional oxycodone tablets stashed inside, cementing the case against him.
Morgan has remained in custody since that arrest. On January 5, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone. On the same day, he admitted in court to violating the conditions of his supervised release — a breach that triggered the enhanced penalty now being served.
This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah P. Karwan and Anthony P. Kaplan, highlights the federal system’s crackdown on repeat drug offenders. Morgan’s pattern of reoffending after supervised release signals both personal failure and broader challenges in rehabilitation efforts within the federal justice pipeline.
Rodney T. Morgan now faces 51 months of federal imprisonment, followed by three more years under court supervision — if he complies this time. For the residents of Norwich and Stonington, his sentencing offers a grim reminder: the opioid epidemic still walks the streets, often in the same shoes as before.
Related Federal Cases
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- Carlos ‘Carlito’ Santiago Gets 6 Years for Heroin Ring · New York
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Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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