SPRINGFIELD MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DISTRIBUTING COCAINE BASE

BOSTON, MA - A Springfield man was convicted yesterday in U.S. District Court of distributing crack cocaine.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan, Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - New England Field Division and John Ferraro, Chief of the Chicopee Police Department announced that ROBERT TUITT, age 28, of 75 Grenada Terrace, Springfield, pled guilty to three counts of distribution of cocaine base in the form of crack cocaine.

At yesterday’s plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that had the case proceeded to trial the Government’s evidence would have proven that TUITT distributed approximately 100 grams of crack cocaine in March 2007.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 17, 2008 at 2 pm. TUITT faces up to 40 years years imprisonment, to be followed by at least four years of supervised release and a $ 2,000.00 fine.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Gang Task Force, comprised of the FBI, the Massachusetts State Police and representatives from local police departments. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Smyth, Chief of Sullivan’s Springfield Office.