Professional Documents
Culture Documents
DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT
UNITED STATESOF AMERICA
:
ss:New Haven,Connecticut
University.I
Universityof Massachusetts
at Amherstanda Masterof Sciencefrom Northeastern
havecompletedthe sixteen-week
long DEA BasicAgentTraineeacademyin Quantico,VA. I
have also attendednumerouslaw enforcementtraining coursesrelatedto the field of drug law
enfbrcementandhold a PoliceInstructorCertificationon the topic of drug law enforcementwith
the Stateof ConnecticutPoliceOfficer Standards
andTrainingCouncil.
3.
I am an investigative
officer of the United Stateswithin the
or law enforcement
with
COMMEMORD (with a dateof birth (xxlxx/1995)that is knownto me) with possession
containinga detectableamountof
intentto distributeanddistributionof, a mixtureandsubstance
heroin, a ScheduleI controlledsubstance,
in violation of 2l U.S.C. $$ 8al(a)(l) and
841(bxlxc).
5.
This affidavit doesnot set forth all of the factsand evidencethat I havegathered
during the courseof the investigationof this matter. Rather,this affidavit setsforth facts
and
evidencethat are relevantto the requestedcomplaint and searchwarrant. The statements
containedin this affidavit are based,in part, on informationprovided by SpecialAgents
and
Task Force Officers of the DEA, as well as the Derby Police Departmentand Sheltonpolice
Departmentas well as officers from other law enforcementagencies,and on law enforcement
officers' review of seizedelectronicevidence(includingstoredtext messages),
and on the
experienceandtrainingof the affiant.
BACKGROUND
7.
seriesof heroinoverdoses
thatsharea commonheroinsourceof supply.The heroinsourceof the
supplyhasbeenidentifiedasBradleyCOMMERFORD.Two of theseheroinoverdoses
occurred
in Shelton,Connecticuton or about 02-16-2016
and one of the heroinoverdoses
occurredin
Derby, Connecticuton or about 02-17-2016.The two heroin overdosesoccurringin Shelton,
Connecticut
did not resultin death(identifiedthroughoutthis affidavitas Victim #l andVictim
#2), however,theoneheroinoverdoseoccurringin Derby,Connecticut
did resultin the deathof
thevictim (identifiedthroughoutthisaffidavitasvictim #3).
8.
messages
recoveredfrom the cellulartelephoneof Victim #3, analyzetelephonetoll records
associatedwith the sourceof supply, review medical recordsand speakwith victims
and
witnessesinvolvedwith the investigation.
Investigators
havealsohad the opportunityto speak
a Connecticutviolation of
Probation(VOp) warrant.
THE DEFENDANT
9'
Department
On 0l-15-2016,COMMERFORD
wasarrested
by the DerbyPoliceDepartment
Medicalassistance
wasrendered
to Victim #1, who wassubsequently
transported
Departmentspokewith a Sourceof Information,who provideda telephonenumberof 203-8928592 as the telephonenumberbelongingto the heroin sourceof supplyfor Victim #1. The
Sourceof Informationalsostatedthat"Brad" soldherointo victim #1.
17.
andthat
stated
subpoenato Griffin Hospital for patient recordsof Victim #2. The DEA NHDO
did in fact
receivehospitalrecordsrelatedto the admittance
of Victim #2, for a heroinoverdoseon 02-162016'Membersof theDEA andSheltonPoliceDepartment
haveattempted
to contactyictim#2.
howevero
it is believedthatVictim #2 doesnot wishto speakwith law enforcement.
IIWESTIGATION OF VICTIM #3
20'
number203-892-8592
is associated
with "Brad." The telephonenumberof Victim 3 wasfound
to be in frequentcontactwith 203-892-g1g2.
TEXT MESSAGES- COMMERFORD, VICTIM #3
24.
messageconversation
took placebetweenvictim #3 andCOMMERFoRD:coMMERFoRD
stateso
"o'Yo nigger," "I'm back home." Victim # 3 states,"who's this." coMMERFoRD
states'"lts bradu don't got my num savedlol." Victim #3 states,"Nah got a new phonedude.,,
Based upon my training and experience,I believe that during the above
On02-14-2016
l0:29PMthrough1l:49PM,the followingtext
at approximately
messageconversation
took placebetweenVictim #3 and COMMERFORD:Victim 3 states,
"Address??"COMERFORDstates,"19 dusty lane," "Newtowncr." Victim #3 states,"lght,"
"Outsidenigga,""Yoo," "Yo go nearur phonenigga."COMMERFORDstates,"Can u check
the car andseeif I droppedmoneydude,""PleasedudeI'll throw u a bag if u find it in looking
everywhere."
27.
Based upon my training and experience,I believe that during the above
conversation
took place betweenVictim #3 and COMMERFORD:Victim #3 states,o'Atthe
door."COMMERFORDstates."Comin."Victim #3 states"isht."
29.
Based upon my training and experience,I believe that during the above
referencedtext messageconversation,
Victim #3 and COMMERFORDare completinga heroin
transaction.
I believethat at the time of the text messages,
Victim #3 is outsidethe residence
of
whereCOMMERFORDis at andis alertingCOMMERFORDasto whereVictim #3 is ("At the
door").I believethat,at the time of the text messages,
COMMERFORDinstructsVictim #3 to
("Comin") and that Victim #3 acceptsthe invitationto enterthe residence,
enterthe residence
attemptingto state"All right" which wasenteredinto the telephoneincorrectly("ight").
INTERVIEW OF COMMERFORD
30.
interviewed
On 02-18-2016,
membersof DEA andthe SheltonPoliceDepartment
number203-892Verizonrequesting
subscriber
infbrmationandtoll recordsrelatedto telephone
8592. According to Verizon, this telephonenumber is currently subscribedto Sean
COMMERFORD,believedto be the fatherof BradleyCOMMERFORD.Also, accordingto
Verizon, this telephoneis currently in the "account" name of Bradley COMMERFORD,
effective 0l-18-2016 through 02-16-2016and was in the "account" name of Sean
COIMMERFORDfrom l2-l 6-2015 throush01- 18-20I 6.
SOCIAL MEDIA
32.
On 02-17-2016,
membersof the DEA conducteda searchof telephonenumber
203-892-8592
within a query functionavailableon the socialmediawebsiteFacebook.The
resultof the queryshowedthat telephonenumber203-892-8592
is associated
with a Facebook
"profile" of "BradCommerford."
BACKGROUND TO STORED COMMUNICATIONS
33.
that provides cellular telephone access to the general public, and that stored electronic
communications,including retrievedand unretrievedvoicemail, text, and multimedia messages
fbr Verizon Wirelesssubscribersmay be locatedon the computersof Verizon Wireless. Further,
I am aware that computers located at Verizon Wireless contain information and other stored
electronic communicationsbelonging to unrelatedthird parties.
34.
capacity to send short text or multimedia messages(photos, audio, or video) from one
subscriber's phone or wireless device to another phone or wireless device via one or more
wireless providers. This service is often referred to as "Short MessageService" ("SMS") or
"Multimedia Messaging Service" ("MMS"), and is often referred to generically as "text
messaging"or "wireless messaging." Based on my knowledge and experience,I believe that
stored electronic communications,including SMS and MMS messagesthat have been sent or
received by subscribers,may be stored by Verizon Wireless for short periods incident to and
following their transmission. In addition, providers occasionallyretain printouts from original
storageof text messagesfor a particularsubscriber'saccount.
35.
messages.providersmay
Wireless providers may also retain text messaginglogs that include specific
including an
for
accountwas opened,the
provider about issuesrelating to the account, such as technical problems, billing inquiries, or
complaints flom other users.
communications,including records of contacts between the user and the provider's support
services, as well records of any actions taken by the provider or user as a result of the
communications.
40-
2016,BradleyCOMMERFORD(DOB xx/xx/I995)possessed
with the intentto distributeand
distributeda mixture and substance
containinga detectableamountof heroin,a ScheduleI
controlledsubstance,
in violationof 2l U.S.C.$$ 8a1(a)(l)and 841(b)(lXC). As a result,I
requestthattheattachedcomplaintissue.
43.
ATTACHMENT A
Propertyto Be Searched
This warrantappliesto infbrmationassociatedwith the accountfor telephonenumber
(203) 892-8592,which is stored at premisesowned, maintained,controlled,or operatedby
VerizonWireless,a wirelessproviderheadquartered
at BaskingRidge,New Jersey.
ATTACHMENT B
Particular Things to be Seized
L
All existing printouts from original storageof all of the text messagesdescribed
c.
above;
towersused,and/orlocations
usedfromJanuaryza,zotfiopresenu
d.
associated
with the account,social Securitynumber,dateof binh, telephone
numbers,andother
identifiersassociated
with theaccount;
f'
bQ//
January26,20$ to fresent;
g'
instrumentalities
of violationsof 2l U.S.c. $ sal(a)(l) (possession
with intentto distribute,and
distributionof, heroin) and,21 U.S.C. 846 (conspiracyto distribute
$
heroin) involving
BRADLEY COMERFORDsinceAugust1, 2015,including,for each
accountor identifierlisted
on AttachmentA, informationpertainingto the followingmatters:
a'
identifier,includingrecordsabouttheiridentitiesandwhereabouts.