Two New Haven Men Sentenced For Distributing Pills, Fentanyl & “Tranq”

Friday, June 20, 2025, 5:15 P.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

NEW HAVEN, CT.- Two New Haven, Connecticut, local drug traffickers will each be spending at least a decade in federal prison after being sentenced in Federal Court in New Haven, Connecticut, on federal narcotics offenses, including the distribution of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine, and the distribution of a deadly cocktail containing fentanyl, xylazine.

     According to U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Markeyese Kelly, also known as “Curry” and “Keyse,” 46, of West Haven, Connecticut, and Jaquan Price, also known as “Sub,” 34, of New Haven, Connecticut, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut and were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Janet C. Hall for their previously entered guilty pleas.

     Judge Hall sentenced Kelly to 138 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty on February 21, 2025, to Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or More of Methamphetamine; and Conspiracy to Distribute, and Possession with Intent to Distribute 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl.

     Additionally, on Wednesday, Judge Hall sentenced Price to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty on March 21, 2025, to Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine.

According To The Charging Documents

     According to charging documents filed with the District Court, in October 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization led by Kelly.

     The investigation, which included numerous controlled purchases of narcotics in February and March 2024, revealed that Kelly, Price, and their associate Robert Covington sold a variety of controlled substances, including multi-colored pills pressed to resemble ecstasy that actually contained methamphetamine, counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, powdered fentanyl laced with xylazine, also known as “Tranq,” and PCP.

     Following the controlled purchases, Kelly, Price, and Covinton were taken into custody on May 14, 2024. On that date, Investigators obtained and executed multiple court-authorized search warrants and seized over a kilogram of methamphetamine pills, and an additional quantity of powdered methamphetamine, more than 100 grams of fentanyl pills and powder, around 50 grams of cocaine, three handguns, two loaded ammunition magazines, ammunition, and more than $11,000 in U.S. currency.

     Kelly and Price have remained in custody since their May 14, 2024, arrest, and Covington has pleaded guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing.