Nine Charged as a Result of Homeland Security Task Force Investigation into Southeastern Connecticut Cocaine Trafficking

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Thomas A. Greco, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that the following nine individuals have been charged by indictment with offenses related to the distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine in southeastern Connecticut:

MICHAEL SMITH, also known as "Miz," 53, of Lisbon
ANTHONY GOMEZ, also known as "Jungle," 46, of Norwich
ROBERT DURAN, 46, of Mount Vernon, New York
DEONNA WHITE, 48, of Norwich
ROCKY LAURENT, 48, of New London
SARAH BUTLER, 43, of Norwich
HEATHER ROY, 44, of Canterbury
CORDELIA HARRIS, 49, of New London
KEITH NIVAL, 46, of New London

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, a Homeland Security Task Force investigation, which has included court-authorized wiretaps, video surveillance, GPS tracking of vehicles, and numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Smith supplied cocaine and crack to a network of redistributors in southeastern Connecticut. Laurent, Butler, Roy, Harris, and Nival purchased cocaine and crack from Smith and sold it in smaller quantities to their own customers.

It is further alleged that on October 8, 2026, investigators conducting surveillance at a parking lot in Clinton observed Smith, White, and Duran arrive in separate vehicles. Smith retrieved a reusable shopping bag from White's vehicle and then drove to another area of the lot to meet Duran. Smith gave the bag to Duran who then placed a box in the back of Smith's vehicle. Smith, White, and Duran were arrested after a search of the box revealed approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine, and a search of the shopping bag revealed more than $170,000 in cash. Butler was also arrested on October 8, after a search of her residence in the Taftville section of Norwich revealed narcotics and drug packaging materials. Investigators also searched two of Smith's vehicles and found cocaine and crack cocaine packaged for redistribution in one vehicle, and a firearm and more than 200 rounds of ammunition in the other vehicle.

Gomez, Roy, Harris, and Nival were arrested on October 15, 2026, and Laurent has been in state custody since September 23, 2026. Smith, Gomez, Duran, and Nival have been detained since their arrests.

On October 27, 2026, a grand jury in New Haven returned a superseding indictment charging each of the defendants with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted of this charge, based on the quantity of cocaine attributed to each defendant, Smith, Gomez, Duran, White, and Laurent face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; Butler, Harris, and Roy face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; and Nival faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

The indictment also charges Gomez with three counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 28 grams or more of cocaine base ("crack"), an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years on each count; Smith and Duran with possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; and Smith with unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of $196,353 in cash and five vehicles seized during the investigation.

U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Lembo, Justyn Stokely, and Natasha Freismuth.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

HSTF New Haven comprises agents and officers from the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Transportation - Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Commerce - Bureau of Industry and Security's Office of Export Enforcement, and Connecticut State Police, with prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut.