Eleven individuals have been charged with federal offenses stemming from their alleged involvement in narcotics trafficking in southwestern Connecticut:
• Rodney Canada, aka “Supreme,” 47, of Stamford
• Terrell Wills, aka “Black Fred,” 50, of Darien
• Ramion Baker, a.k.a. “Ray Ray,” 43, of Stamford
• Willi Bazelais, 30, of Stamford
• Christopher Adams, 57, of Norwalk
• Gerald Coley, aka “G Rock,” 54, of Bridgeport
• Benjamin Dozier, aka “Ace” and “Blanco, 42, of Bridgeport
• Danny Turkvan, aka “Smooth” 53, of Stamford
• Gavin Hammett, aka “G” and “Silk,” 59, of Bridgeport
• Jimmy Arce, aka “Boe,” “Slim,” and “Jimbo,” 40, of Bridgeport
• Omar Parra, aka “D” and “Dee,” 37, of Stamford
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Canada as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine in Stamford and elsewhere in southwestern Connecticut. The investigation, which has included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Wills and Baker helped Canada coordinate the street level distribution of narcotics through Coley, Dozier, Turkvan and others. Canada also sold bulk quantities of cocaine to Bazelais and Adams for further distribution. Hammett is believed to have served as a source of supply for the Canada drug trafficking organization, and Arce was a criminal associate of Canada who supplied Parra with fentanyl, cocaine, and crack.
On May 14, 2024, the defendants, with the exception of Parra, were arrested on federal criminal complaints, and additional individuals were arrested on state charges. On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches at locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Darien and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine, nearly 400 grams of raw fentanyl, more than 500 bags of fentanyl, five firearms, a bulletproof vest, and seven vehicles. Parra has been detained in federal custody since March 19, 2024, when he was arrested on a complaint.
On May 22, 2024, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned three separate indictments charging the 11 defendants. In one indictment, Canada, Wills, Baker, Bazelais, Adams, Coley, Dozier, and Turkvan are charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, an offense that a carries a maximum term of 20 years of imprisonment. The indictment also charges Adams and Baker with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; Baker and Dozier with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; and Baker with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least five years. It is alleged that Baker’s criminal history includes a federal crack cocaine trafficking conviction.
The second indictment charges Hammett with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and a quantity of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. It is alleged that Hammett’s criminal history includes federal convictions in the District of South Carolina and the District of Connecticut for cocaine trafficking offenses, and he is currently on federal supervised release for the prior District of Connecticut conviction.
The third indictment charges Arce and Parra with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and a quantity of heroin, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. In addition, Arce is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and Parra is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
All of the defendants are currently detained.
“We are committed to using federal law enforcement resources to curb the flow of deadly narcotics in southwestern Connecticut and throughout our state,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “Because firearms are typically involved with illegal drug distribution, this creates a heightened concern. We enhance our efforts when individuals who have already been involved in the federal justice system choose to continue criminal activity when they reenter the community. I thank the DEA Task Force, Stamford Police Department, and all of the agencies that have assisted this investigation. Their work is making Connecticut safer.”
“Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities here in Connecticut,” said Acting DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen P. Belleau. “Let these arrests and seizures serve as an example to those who distribute poisons like fentanyl, heroin, crack-cocaine, and cocaine, that DEA will aggressively pursue and hold you accountable. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners here in Connecticut and our solid relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“This extensive case is an example of teamwork between many federal and municipal law enforcement partners that led to the arrest of numerous suspects that supplied large amounts of illegal narcotics to the Southwestern portion of Connecticut,” said Stamford Assistant Police Chief Richard Conklin. “Many of the suspects have extensive criminal narcotics background and history, and several illegal firearms were seized. Large scale investigations working together in the team format like this will certainly make Connecticut a safer place for all.”
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and 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 ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments.
The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments.
The announcement of charges was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, US Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.