From U.S. District Court in New Haven:
A Hamden man is facing six years in prison for selling crack cocaine in New Haven.
U.S. District Court Judge Ellen Bree Burns handed down the sentence Monday to Ezel Buchanan, also known as "E.Z., 34, of Hamden, according to court spokesman Tom Carson. Buchanan also will be under supervised release for five years after his release.
Buchanan was one of 100 people charged as a result of “Operation Bloodline,” a joint law enforcement investigation targeting narcotics trafficking and gang violence in the Dwight-Kensington and Fair Haven sections of New Haven.
Led by the DEA New Haven Task Force and the New Haven and Hamden Police Departments, the year-long investigation included the use of court-authorized wiretaps on numerous telephones, extensive physical surveillance, controlled purchases of narcotics, execution of search warrants and seizures of narcotics and firearms.
The investigation revealed that Buchanan conspired with others to purchase and redistribute crack cocaine. On Sept. 27, 2012, Buchanan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack cocaine”).
Buchanan's criminal history includes six felony convictions, including four felony drug convictions.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
