For a detailed story on what went down in the murder of Amos “AJ” Brown, read John Nickerson’s report in the Advocate. This is the graf that struck me as significant:

The witness told The Advocate on Monday that Brown, who was driving a black Honda, was being followed as he drove south on Lexington Avenue when the shooting began about 1:50 p.m. Through an interpreter, the witness, who would not give a name for fear of retaliation, said a man in a gold car, which contained a driver and two passengers, began shooting at Brown just as the vehicles passed El Coqui bodega near the corner of Lexington Avenue and Olean Street.

The two cars and a gray Volvo, which had Vermont plates and four men inside, that was ahead of Brown stopped in front of the Faith Lighthouse Church at 50 Lexington Ave., about 100 feet up the street from where the shooting began.

Ambush? Or drug deal that went bad? The real question remains of what AJ Brown was doing on Lexington Avenue in the first place. Meanwhile: Continue reading →

from a press release:

JOINT LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATION TAKES DOWN ALLEGED SOUTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT DRUG TRAFFICKING RING

19 charged in federal court with distributing cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Steven W. Derr, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Harry W. Rilling, Chief of the Norwalk Police Department; and Robert Nivakoff, Chief of the Stamford Police Department, today announced that 19 individuals have been arrested on various federal narcotics-distribution charges related to the large-scale distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin in southwestern Connecticut and New York City.

Yesterday, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging 18 of the defendants. An additional defendant was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint.

The charges stem from an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation dubbed “Operation Hammertime,” a four-month investigation that was initiated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with substantial assistance provided by the Norwalk Police Department’s Special Services Squad and the Stamford Police Department’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Squad. The investigation was funded in significant part through the United States Attorney’s Office OCDETF and Anti-Gang initiatives, and the case is being prosecuted by members of the United States Attorney’s Office OCDETF and Gang Units.

According to statements made in today in Bridgeport federal court during the initial presentment of many of the defendants, the investigation included the use of court-authorized wiretaps. Through the wiretaps, investigating officers identified and dismantled a large drug-trafficking organization allegedly headed by GAVIN HAMMETT.

In association with the arrest of the defendants, law enforcement officers seized more than one kilo of cocaine, more than 200 grams of crack cocaine, multiple bundles of heroin, more than $100,000 in cash, seven vehicles and one firearm.

Charged in the indictments with various counts related to the distribution of narcotics are the following individuals:

GAVIN HAMMETT, a.k.a. “G,” 45, of Ely Ave., Norwalk;

WAYNE BEST, a.k.a. “RAUL” and “ROMEL,” 43, of San Vincenzo, Norwalk;

WILBERT BROWN, a.k.a. “Hat,” 58, of S. Main St., Norwalk;

TRACEY DOWNING, a.k.a. “B.M.,” 41, of Burritt Ave., Norwalk;

DARRYL FILES, 42, of Leon Pl., Stamford;

FRANK GREEN, SR., a.k.a. “Sparks,” 45, of Amelia Pl., Stamford;

MICHAEL HAMMETT, a.k.a. “Tyree,” 29, of Lawn Ave., Stamford;

CHARLES HANDY, a.k.a. “Paco” and “Chumley,” 43, Stamford;

LORENZO JONES, a.k.a. “Bubba Bean,” 46, of Ludlow St., Stamford;

TERRENCE McNICHOL, a.k.a. “Peanut,” 35, of Clinton St., Bridgeport;

ANDRE MESSAM, a.k.a. “Dre,” 35, of Orchard St., Norwalk;

MARK SAMAS, 38, 104 Hansen St., Bridgeport;

ROBERT SINGLETON, a.k.a. “Pimp,” 56, of N. Main St., Norwalk;

JOE SMALLS, a.k.a. “Izzy,” 37, of Claremore Ct., Norwalk;

ROBERT TREGLIA, 46, of N. Taylor Ave., Norwalk;

JOSEPH VANBRACKLE, a.k.a. “Pops,” 74, of Lawn Ave., Stamford;

MASSIEL VARGAS, a.k.a. “Juicy,” 39, of Ely Ave., Norwalk; and

LUIS LNU (last name unknown), a.k.a. “Antonio Herrera-Robles,” of Eastburn Ave., Bronx, NY.

HAMMETT and VARGAS are charged with conspiring to distribute more than 50 grams of cocaine base (“crack cocaine”). If convicted of this charge, each faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a maximum term of life imprisonment and a fine of up to $4 million. FILES, GREEN, and HANDY are charged with conspiring to distribute more than five grams of cocaine base. If convicted of this charge, each of these defendants faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of 40 years, and a fine of up to $2 million. The filing of a second-offender notice under the federal statute for having a prior felony drug conviction would double the mandatory minimum penalties.

HAMMETT, BROWN, McNICHOL, VARGAS, and LUIS LNU are charged with conspiring to distribute more than 500 grams of powder cocaine. If convicted of this charge, they face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of 40 years, and a fine of up to $2 million. The filing of a second-offender notice under the federal statute for having a prior felony drug conviction would double the mandatory-minimum penalties.

BEST, DOWNING, MICHAEL HAMMETT, JONES, SAMAS, SINGLETON, SMALLS, TREGLIA, and VANBRACKLE are charged with conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine. LUIS LNU and MESSAM are charged with conspiring to distribute a quantity of heroin. If convicted of these charges, each defendant faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $1 million.

In addition, JERRY LIVINGSTON, 48, from Norwalk, was arrested today on a criminal complaint charging him with conspiring to distribute five grams or more of cocaine base and 500 grams or more of powder cocaine.

U.S. Attorney Fein commended the federal and local law enforcement agents and officers who conducted this collaborative investigation.

“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners in Norwalk and Stamford to combat drug trafficking and related activity in order to improve the quality of life in our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney Fein.

“DEA and our law enforcement partners are determined to keep our cities free of the misery that drugs bring to the community,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Derr. “We believe that, as a result of this joint law enforcement action, these neighborhoods are safer today.”

“The Norwalk Police Department is grateful to our federal partners from the DEA and our partners from the Stamford PD,” stated Norwalk Police Chief Rilling. “These high level joint operations are very effective in removing the criminal element from our communities. Norwalk will certainly be a safer place as a result of this operation.”

“The coordinated and tactical efforts of the City of Stamford PD and our law enforcement partners have maximized the impact of regional narcotic distribution investigations,” stated Stamford Police Chief Nivakoff.

U.S. Attorney Fein stressed that the charges are not evidence of guilt. The charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force (composed of members of the Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk and Stratford Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police), along with substantial participation by members of the Norwalk and Stamford Police Departments. The United States Marshals Service and the Bridgeport Police Department assisted in the arrests of the defendants today.

The federal cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Spector and Hal Chen.

The Hour reports that a plea deal was struck in the Lt. Cummings trial:

Cummings was arrested in Jan. 2008 and charged three counts of risk of injury to a minor, two counts of second-degree sexual assault and three counts of risk of injury to a minor.

A 15-year-old Weston boy sparked the investigation into Cummings’ alleged illicit activities in November 2007 when he alerted authorities to his relationship with Cummings, according to court documents. Cummings never faced criminal charges regarding the Weston boy.

However, prosecutors discovered two men who claimed Cummings had sex with them when they were 15 years old. Another man also claimed that Cummings tried to seduce him when he was 15 years old. The activities were alleged to have taken place from 2003 to 2005.

Colangelo said he knew that testifying at the trial would be difficult for the victims, but “they all indicated that they were ready, willing and able to proceed.”

Within the past week, developments regarding two of the alleged victims in the case forced the state to reconsider its charges, according to Colangelo.

Some of the charges were nolled because one of the alleged victims in the case was psychologically unable to testify at the trial, according to Colangelo.

Colangelo said he could have forced the witness to testify, but preserving the victim’s well-being is his first priority.

“In sexual assault cases especially, I feel my duty as a prosecutor is to make sure the victim is mentally okay before, during and after (the trial),” he said.

Technically, Colangelo could reopen a case that was nolled because of a missing witness within 13 months of the disposition. He said he does not anticipate reopening the Cummings case.

Another man who said he was 15 years old at the time when he allegedly had sex with Cummings recanted his statement and now says he was 16-years-old — the age of consent — when the incident occurred, Colangelo said.