2nd Sentence Rendered In Fentanyl Case With Farmington Connection

HARTFORD, CT — A Hartford man has been given a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence in a federal fentanyl distribution case with a Farmington connection.

John H. Durham, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut, said that that Jaquaon "Tipsy" Leggett, 32, of Hartford, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 92 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl and other narcotics.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2019, law enforcement officials received information that Leggett and Dante "Tre" Barnes, were trafficking narcotics in Hartford.

The investigation revealed that Leggett and Barnes were using Leggett’s residence on Lenox Street in Hartford to package and store fentanyl and other drugs, case records show. Between January and March 2019, investigators conducted multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl and cocaine from Barnes in Hartford and Farmington, according to case records.

Leggett and Barnes were arrested on March 5, 2019. On that date, a search of Leggett’s residence uncovered 169 bags of fentanyl, approximately 2 grams of unpackaged fentanyl, approximately 4 grams of crack cocaine, approximately 2 grams of cocaine, and items used to process and package narcotics for street sale.

A search of Barnes' Farmington residence uncovered 440 bags of fentanyl, approximately 23 grams of unpackaged fentanyl, approximately 32 grams of crack cocaine, items used to package narcotics for street sale, and $24,160 in cash, Durham said.

Leggett’s criminal history includes state convictions for firearm and drug offenses, and a federal conviction for possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. In August 2012, he was sentenced to 57 months of imprisonment for the federal offense, Durham said.

Leggett has been detained since his arrest. On Oct. 28, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and crack cocaine.

That same day, Barnes pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On Feb. 10 of this year, he was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment. He also forfeited the cash that was seized at the time of his arrest, and a 2007 Audi A6 3.2Q.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.