BOSTON - A Hyannis woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for distributing heroin in connection with the Nauti-Block gang.
Brooke Cotell, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris to 20 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In December 2016, Cotell pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
In October 2015, federal investigators determined that Nauti-Block leader Denzel Chisholm and other co-conspirators were responsible for a significant quantity of the heroin distributed on Cape Cod. Cotell, specifically, purchased heroin from Chisholm, which she redistributed to other dealers and users. In November 2015, investigators conducted a traffic stop after watching Cotell and co-defendant Shaun Miller meet with Chisholm. After a low-speed chase, Cotell and Miller eventually came to a halt. Miller was in the process of attempting to destroy heroin he had in his possession at the time of the stop when he was searched by law enforcement officers. In addition, text messages recovered during the investigation revealed that Cotell had purchased 100 grams of heroin from Chisholm.
In April 2016, 13 members and affiliates of the Nauti-Block gang were charged with federal drug trafficking and firearms offenses. In total, 19 defendants have been charged with narcotics and firearms offenses as part of the federal investigation. 18 have been convicted, including Chisholm, who was convicted by a federal jury, and Miller, who pleaded guilty in October 2016. The final defendant, Bethanne Hutchings, is scheduled for trial in October.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe; and Barnstable Police Chief Paul MacDonald made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen and Miranda Hooker of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
