New London Woman Sentenced To Federal Prison For Using A Telephone To Order Cocaine
NEW LONDON, CT. - Steven W. Derr, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England and David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LAWANNA COSTELLO, 31, of New London, was sentenced yesterday, April 27, by United States District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for using a telephone to conduct a narcotics trafficking offense.
This matter stems from a joint law enforcement investigation headed 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, New London Police Department, Waterford Police Department, the State of Connecticut’s Department of Correction and Office of Adult Probation. The nine-month investigation included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of cocaine and crack cocaine, and physical surveillance. The investigation revealed that, in 2009, Lamont Muller and others were involved in the distribution of large amounts of cocaine, crack cocaine, oxycodone and marijuana in southeastern Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, during the course of the investigation, COSTELLO was intercepted over a codefendant’s wiretapped cell phone ordering cocaine.
On December 15, 2010, COSTELLO pleaded guilty to one count of using a telephone to facilitate the commission of a drug trafficking felony.
On September 24, 2010, Muller pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, 50 grams or more of cocaine (“crack cocaine”) and a quantity of marijuana and oxycodone. On March 30, 2010, he was sentenced to 135 months of imprisonment.