New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Ansonia man gets prison for role in pottrafficking case
NEW HAVEN — An Ansonia man convicted in a multimilliondollar, crosscountry marijuana trafficking operation was sentenced Wednesday to serve 55 months in prison.
U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton handed down the sentence to Scott “Pep” Bodnar, 40, who pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, as well as conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
Three other suspects convicted in the scheme — Donald Burns of Milford, Terrell Givens of Beacon Falls and Robert Capelli of Milford — await sentencing.
The investigation began in 2016 when, according to U.S. Attorney John H. Durham, the FAA began investigating a Piper singleengine airplane owned by Burns that was making regular trips between Sikorsky Airport in Stratford and northern California.
When Burns touched down in Stratford June 28, 2017, after flying from California to Lubbock, Texas, Arkansas and West
Virginia, law enforcement moved in.
A search of the plane revealed about 400 pounds of marijuana in vacuumsealed packages.
The marijuana was intended for distribution in Connecticut by Bodnar, Givens and Capelli, according to the feds.
“The investigation revealed that, for more than two years, Capelli and his associates earned millions of dollars by trafficking nearly two tons of marijuana from California to Connecticut,” Durham said. “Members of the conspiracy also laundered more than $6 million to purchase marijuana in California, maintain properties for distribution in Connecticut, pay
Burns to transport the marijuana, and for other expenses related to the conspiracy.”
After his prison sentence, Bodnar will have to serve three years of supervised release. He also has to forfeit a 2012 Toyota Camry seized during the investigation.
Bodnar, who is free on $250,000 bail, must report to prison Oct. 16.
A jury July 26 found Capelli guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. He was found not guilty of one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one count of money laundering.
Durham said Capelli has forfeited about $90,000 to date, and additional forfeiture proceedings are pending.
On May 3, 2019, Givens pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. He also agreed to forfeit his 2009 Jaguar XF and approximately $8,000 in jewelry.
On May 6, 2019, Burns pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana. He also has agreed to forfeit the Piper aircraft.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration’s Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, and the Stratford, Bridgeport and Derby Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale and Marc Silverman.