Man Sentenced In Trafficking Conspiracy That Involved Milford Men

MILFORD, CT — A Beacon Falls man was sentenced recently for his role in a large-scale marijuana trafficking conspiracy that also involved two Milford men.

Terrell Givens, 34, was sentenced to 55 months in prison, plus three years of supervised release, a judge ordered Wednesday, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice. Givens pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, the news release said. In addition to the prison sentence, Givens was ordered to forfeit his 2009 Jaguar XF and about $8,000 in jewelry.

In 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration began investigating a Piper single-engine airplane that was owned by Donald Burns, of Milford, and was regularly flying between Stratford and northern California. In June 2017, Burns flew from California to Sikorsky airport, stopping at several other states along the way. When he landed in Stratford, law enforcement searched the plane and found about 400 pounds of marijuana in vacuum-sealed packaging, the news release said.

Burns was arrested and investigators determined the marijuana was intended for Givens, Robert Capelli, Scott Bodnar and others to distribute, according to the news release.

For more than two years, Capelli, of Milford, and his associates earned millions of dollars by trafficking nearly 2 tons of marijuana from California to Connecticut, according to the news release. People involved in the conspiracy also laundered more than $6 million, the news release said.

Burns pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana and agreed to forfeit the airplane, according to the news release.

Capelli in July was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, the news release said. He was found not guilty of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and money laundering. Capelli has forfeited about $90,000 and additional forfeitures are pending.

Bodnar was sentenced earlier in September to serve 55 months in prison, plus three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty in May to conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, according to the news release. Bodnar also was ordered to forfeit a car, his 2012 Toyota Camry.

Burns and Capelli await sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by divisions of the FAA and DEA, and seven other agencies.