Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on Feb. 19, JEBRELL CONLEY, also known as “City," 27, of New Haven, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by six years of supervised release, for possessing with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
This prosecution stems from Project Longevity, a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence. A critical component of the Project Longevity strategy is the “call-in," a face-to-face meeting where Project Longevity partners engage group members and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence, and an offer of help for those who want it.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on Feb. 18, 2015, New Haven police officers executed a search warrant at a residence frequented by CONLEY and seized approximately 32 grams of crack cocaine, packaging materials and Grape Street Crips regalia consisting of a number of clothing items. CONLEY was arrested on state charges at that time.
The Grape Street Crips had become the focus of heightened law enforcement scrutiny after members of the group were involved in an outbreak of gun violence in New Haven, and CONLEY had attended a Project Longevity call-in.
CONLEY has been detained since his arrest. On Oct. 19, 2015, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of at least 28 grams of crack cocaine with intent to distribute.
CONLEY will begin serving his federal sentence at the conclusion of a state prison term that he is serving for an unrelated offense.
This matter was investigated by the New Haven Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney H. Gordon Hall.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
