United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

CANADIAN DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SERGEI PEVNYI, age 39, of Toronto, Canada, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet C. Hall in Bridgeport to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Hall also ordered PEVNYI to pay a fine in the amount of $2,500. On November 15, 2006, PEVNYI pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms of marijuana.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, PEVNYI drove a truck containing more than 100 kilograms of marijuana to a delivery point near the U.S. border on the night of March 16, 2004, with the knowledge that the marijuana would be taken by others to Connecticut. PEVNYI did this on behalf of Sergei Churilov, who was also convicted in this matter and is currently serving a 90-month sentence previously imposed by Judge Hall in December 2005.

U.S. Attorney O’Connor complimented the coordination between Canadian and American law enforcement officials. This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial Police Department and the Waterloo Police Department. The United States Marshals Service and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement provided critical assistance to the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Gustafson prosecuted this case.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov