New London Man Gets 11-plus Years In Drug Trafficking Case

A 38-year-old New London man has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison on charges that he was involved in distributing a variety of drugs throughout southeastern Connecticut.

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced Wednesday afternoon that Lamont Muller, also known as "Dell" or "Cuz," was sentenced to 135 months imprisonment as well as five years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Robert N. Chatigny. Muller was accused of leading a network to distribute large amounts of cocaine, crack cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana in the region.

According to statements made in court as well as court documents, Muller's friend Renaldo Goosby fled from police afer a routine traffic stop by Waterford Police Department officers in March 2007. Goosby was killed after the vehicle collided with a tree, and about three kilograms of cocaine were found in the car. Police also found that Goosby had been talking to Muller on his cellphone at the time of the traffic stop. A wiretap investigation recorded Muller telling third parties that he and Goosby were doing "about 10 a week between the both of us" before Goosby died.

The investigation concluded that Muller and others were getting drugs from sources in the South and later from a source in New York. In one call, Muller complained that their source of drugs in Texas "had dried up" following the arrest of a co-defendant with 500 grams of cocaine in Louisiana in February 2009. Muller began looking for other sources after that point and traveled to New York on several occasions.

Muller has been held since his arrest on Oct. 30, 2009. At that time, he was found in possession of a .44-caliber firearm, an item he was prohibited from having due to his status as a convicted felon.

Muller pleaded guilty on Sept. 24, 2010 to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, 50 grams or more of crack cocaine and a quantity of marijuana and oxycodone, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Connecticut State Police, Norwich Police Department, Groton Town Police Department, , Waterford Police Department, and the .  The investigation lasted nine months and utilized court-authorized wiretaps, controlled drug purchases, and physical surveillance.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah P. Karwan and Anthony P. Kaplan.