Man Arrested In New London Sentenced For Distributing Heroin

Larry Harris, 57, of Bridgeport, was sentenced on September 16 by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 37 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing heroin. Harris was arrested in New London last November as part of large scale investigation into heroin and cocaine trafficking in Southeastern Connecticut. 

In early 2012, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the U.S. Secret Service and the New London Police Department initiated an investigation to combat the large-scale trafficking of heroin and cocaine from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico into and around southeastern Connecticut.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 16, 2012, Harris traveled to a residence on Belden Street in New London, entered the house, exited approximately two minutes later and then drove away in his car. New London Police officers stopped the car a short distance away. During the traffic stop, officers found Harris with approximately 40 grams of heroin packaged in four separate plastic bags, and approximately $972 in cash on his person.  Harris has admitted that some of the heroin was for personal use, and some he intended to sell to others.

On June 17, 2013, Harris pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin. Judge Arterton ordered the sentence to be served concurrent with a state sentence that Harris is currently serving. More than 100 individuals have been charged with federal and state offenses as a result of this investigation.

This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Air and Marine; Connecticut State Police; New London Police Department, Norwich Police Department, Waterford Police Department, Groton Town Police Department, East Lyme Police Department and Putnam Police Department. 

The United States Marshals Service; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations; Drug Enforcement Administration; HSI Assistant Attaché, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; HSI Arecibo, Puerto Rico Resident Office;  Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; Connecticut Department of Correction, Parole and Community Services; and the Groton City, Willimantic, New Haven and Bristol Police Departments have provided valuable assistance to the investigation.        

The federal case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alina P. Reynolds, Sarah P. Karwan and Henry K. Kopel.  The state cases are being prosecuted by the State’s Attorney for the New London Judicial District and Senior Assistant State’s Attorneys Paul Narducci and Stephen Carney.