District of Connecticut
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Sex Offender Admits Child Exploitation Offenses, Threatening MinorsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GREGORY BUTTS, 54, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a child exploitation offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2016, Butts was convicted in Connecticut state court of illegal sexual contact with a child.
In November 2020, family and friends of two missing juveniles in Colorado posted information about the missing juveniles on social media pages and included a phone number asking the public to call with information. Butts, with his own phone number blocked, called the number and spoke to a female friend of the missing juveniles, who recorded the conversation. Butts stated that he was with the missing juveniles and had had sexual contact with them. He threatened to harm the missing juveniles if the conversation were recorded or if law enforcement were contacted, and threatened the female friend who answered the phone. He then said that he would return the missing juveniles if the female friend would have sexual intercourse with him. Shortly after the juveniles had been reported missing, they returned home. They were not harmed and had not been kidnapped.
Investigators determined that the call emanated from a lightly-populated area in Sprague, Connecticut, and that Butts was a registered sex offender living in the area who was on probation following a state conviction for illegal sexual contact with a minor. After a Connecticut probation officer identified Butts’ voice on the recording, probation officers searched Butts’ residence and another residence where he also had been staying and seized a computer, storage devices, multiple cell phones and other items.
Forensic analysis of the seized items revealed more than 10,000 images and videos of child pornography, and downloaded conversations Butts had with minors on Snapchat and other social media applications. In the chats, Butts engaged in sexually explicit conversations, made numerous threats and demanded, and sometimes received, sexually explicit photos.
Butts pleaded guilty to possession of a child pornography, which, based on his criminal history, carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Butts has been detained since March 4, 2022.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New Haven, Connecticut and Loveland, Colorado, with the assistance of the Connecticut Office of Adult Probation, Connecticut State Police, and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nancy V. Gifford and Daniel E. Cummings.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of New London for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
New Jersey Company Admits Clean Water Act Violations, Causing Fish Kill in CheshireRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division for New England, announced that NATIONAL WATER MAIN CLEANING COMPANY (“NWMCC”) waived its right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a felony violation of the Clean Water Act (“CWA”) for knowingly discharging a pollutant into Cuff Brook while refurbishing a large culvert pipe in Cheshire, Connecticut, in July 2019. The unauthorized discharge of uncured geopolymer mortar killed more than 150 fish and contaminated Cuff Brook.
NWMCC is based in New Jersey and owned by Carylon Corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. Under the terms of its plea agreement, if accepted by the court, NWMCC will be under federal probation for three years, and must pay a $500,000 federal penalty and $500,000 to fund aquatic ecosystem enhancement projects in the South Central Coastal Watershed, as administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (“CT DEEP”).
According to court documents and statements made in court, NWMCC had submitted the lowest bid and entered into a contract with the Town of Cheshire (“Cheshire”) to repair a decaying 11-foot culvert pipe underneath Marion Road. Cheshire’s project specifications required that the work be done under dry conditions along with environmental controls to prevent uncured geopolymer mortar from leaking into Cuff Brook.
With a Cheshire Department of Public Works (“DPW”) representative present each day, NWMCC began work on July 15, 2019. However, from July 16 to July 18, 2019, NWMCC sprayed geopolymer mortar onto the culvert pipe without the mandated environmental controls. On July 17, 2019, NWMCC crews continued to work despite heavy rain, which led to uncured geopolymer mortar seeping into Cuff Brook. On July 18, 2019, a Cheshire resident with property abutting Cuff Brook observed dead fish and discolored water with an oily sheen in the brook, and smelled a chemical odor similar to lighter fluid. CT DEEP responded and determined that NWMCC was responsible for the pollutant release, thereby killing more than 150 fish and contaminating the waterway. CT DEEP estimated that Cuff Brook would not return to its prior state for three to five years.
The government’s investigation revealed that NWMCC was aware that its environmental controls were deficient, but did not remediate these deficiencies during the project. Although the company attempted to blame the pollutant release and fish kill on a single employee, the investigation showed that he had been inadequately trained, directed to complete the job in an unrealistic timeframe, and was never informed that the uncured geopolymer mortar was hazardous to the environment.
The investigation also revealed that NWMCC lacked a meaningful and comprehensive environmental training program for its employees, particularly with respect to the CWA, even though NWMCC’s core business is repairing and rehabilitating infrastructure that interfaces with public waterways. In addition, NWMCC’s bonus policy incentivized site supervisors and executives to push their work crews to perform projects quickly and maximize the number of jobs completed. At the time of Cheshire project, NWMCC was operating under a Code of Conduct as part of a 2014 settlement with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office to resolve civil allegations involving environmental pollution.
“Any business operating in Connecticut that ignores environmental laws does so at its own peril,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “By prioritizing its bottom line over environmental compliance, NWMCC allowed a hazardous substance to escape into Cuff Brook, causing a fish kill and contaminating a public body of water. This prosecution under the Clean Water Act is a reminder that a profit-driven approach to environmental protection will not go unpunished in Connecticut. We thank the EPA for its invaluable work in protecting the environmental integrity of Connecticut’s waterways.”
“In pleading guilty today, NWMCC accepted responsibility for its illegal discharge of a hazardous chemical into Cuff Brook, and for its failure to adequately manage this public works project,” said Special Agent in Charge Amon. “Environmental compliance and corporate accountability for illegal pollution are key components in our continuing work with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General to enforce vigorously the laws that protect our air, water, and land.”
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for February 27.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
Seven Hartford Gang Members Charged with Murder and Racketeering OffensesRead the Press Release
Note: View a copy of the indictment here.
A grand jury in Hartford, Connecticut, returned a 15-count indictment on Jan. 8 charging seven alleged members of a violent Hartford gang with participating in a years-long interstate Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) conspiracy involving multiple murders, attempted murder, gun trafficking, extortion, arson, drug trafficking, and other crimes.
“This indictment — which is the first RICO indictment since the launch of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Hartford in April 2024 — alleges that the defendants engaged in numerous violent acts, including shooting at suspected rival gang members and shooting and killing a motorist with whom two of the defendants got into a car accident,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Violent gangs like the Hoodstars terrorize local communities and threaten safety across Hartford. Today’s announcement demonstrates that the VCI is already making an impact in Hartford, through the deployment of Criminal Division resources, in close coordination with our partners, to target the specific drivers of violent crime and hold gang members accountable for their crimes.”
“We allege that members of the Hoodstar Gzz have engaged in murder and numerous other violent acts against both rival gang members and innocent civilians, and their criminal activity extended to northern Vermont, where they trafficked drugs and acquired firearms, some of which they transported back to Connecticut,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut. “This case is a clear demonstration of our commitment to relentlessly pursue and dismantle organizations that threaten the peace and security of our communities. The effort to connect these violent acts and bring these individuals to justice has been a collaborative one, and I want to thank the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies involved for their dedication to make our communities, both here in Connecticut and in Vermont, safer.”
“For more than two years, the FBI and its law enforcement partners have worked tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle the Hoodstarz organization,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller of the FBI New Haven Field Office. “This violent criminal organization has been responsible for wreaking havoc in the Hartford area and its takedown is a positive step forward in the never-ending quest to keep our community safe. Let this be a firm message that the FBI and its local, state, and federal partners will remain relentless in the fight to identify, disrupt, and dismantle violent criminal organizations.”
“Criminal gangs terrorize communities, leaving violence and destruction in their wake,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Haven. “These individuals have been charged with crimes ranging from firearms possession to murder and, if convicted, will face serious federal prison time. HSI works with our state, local, and federal partners to dismantle criminal gangs like the Hoodstar Gzzs and help communities reclaim their safety and their streets.”
“The charges announced today reflect our relentless dedication to dismantling violent criminal organizations that endanger the safety and stability of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge James M. Ferguson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Boston Field Division. “Working hand in hand with our federal, state, and local partners, we deliver a clear message: those who choose violence and chaos will be held accountable, and justice will prevail for the citizens of Connecticut.”
The indictment alleges that the Hoodstar Gzz gang, which since its forming in 2010 has referred to itself by a variety of names, including “Hoodstars,” “Hoodstarz,” and “Gz,” generally operates between Capen, Westland, Enfield, and Main Streets in Hartford. The gang has allegedly distributed narcotics; engaged in multiple violent acts against rival gang members and others, including multiple shootings and murders; trafficked narcotics in Vermont; moved firearms from Vermont to Connecticut; utilized stolen vehicles in furtherance of the gang’s affairs and burned vehicles that were used in the commission of crimes; and recorded and distributed rap music to promote the gang’s criminal activity.
The indictment charges the following defendants, all of Hartford:
- Angel Rivera, also known as Rico and Slatt, 24, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, use of a firearm to cause death, use of a firearm during the murder, and drug trafficking conspiracy.
- Raquan Knight, also known as RQ, 21, is charged with RICO conspiracy and drug trafficking conspiracy.
- Paul Downer, also known as Luap Benji, 28, is charged with RICO conspiracy and drug trafficking conspiracy.
- Mekhi Thompson, also known as Midnight, 24, is charged with RICO conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, use of a firearm to cause death, use of a firearm during murder, and drug trafficking conspiracy.
- Paul Clarke, also known as Tommy Bunz, 30, is charged with RICO conspiracy and drug trafficking conspiracy.
- Tyshon Walker, also known as Pone Gwapoo, 26, is charged with RICO conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, and possessing a machinegun during a drug trafficking offense.
- Joshua Cruz, also known as Hop-out Curly, 24, is charged with RICO conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, and possessing a machinegun during a drug trafficking offense.
Among the violent acts committed by the defendants, the indictment alleges that:
- On April 16, 2019, Thompson allegedly attempted to murder members of a rival gang, which resulted in gunshot wounds to three individuals.
- On Jan. 22, 2021, Downer allegedly shot a victim in the femoral artery for failure to pay a drug debt.
- On April 10, 2021, Rivera, Knight, Cruz, and other Hoodstar Gzz members and associates allegedly shot and killed a member of the rival Ave gang and wounded another individual.
- On Jan. 18, 2022, Rivera, Walker, Cruz, and other Hoodstar Gzz members and associates allegedly shot at one victim and shot and injured another.
- On Jan. 18, 2022, Rivera, Walker, Cruz, and other Hoodstar Gzz members and associates allegedly shot and killed one victim and shot and injured another.
- On June 19, 2022, Knight allegedly shot one victim.
- On Aug. 1, 2022, Rivera and other members and associates of the Hoodstar Gzz gang allegedly shot and killed one victim and shot and injured two additional individuals.
- On Sept. 14, 2022, Thompson and Rivera allegedly got into a confrontation with a victim over a rental car that Thompson failed to return. Thompson then shot and killed the victim.
- On Oct. 27, 2022, Thompson and Rivera were allegedly involved in a car accident with a black Nissan sedan and fled the scene. The Nissan followed them for approximately 1.6 miles. Thompson then allegedly exited the vehicle and shot and killed the driver of the Nissan.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. All defendants are currently detained pending trial. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, HSI, and ATF investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Windsor Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, St. Johnsbury Police Department, Northfield Police Department, and Vermont State Police.
Trial Attorneys Jeremy Franker and Christopher Usher of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Dearington, John T. Pierpont Jr., and Shan Patel for the District of Connecticut are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont provided substantial assistance.
This prosecution is a part of the VCI in Hartford, as well as the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, and is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.
The Hartford VCI is conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and associates in Hartford. As part of the initiative, the Criminal Division has dedicated attorneys and other resources to prosecuting violent offenders and assisting intervention, prevention, and reentry efforts to address the root causes of violent crime.
PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about PSN, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Indictment Charges 7 Hartford Gang Members with Murder & Racketeering OffensesRead the Press Release
Seven alleged members of a violent Hartford gang have been charged in a federal indictment accusing them of a years-long interstate RICO conspiracy involving multiple murders, attempted murder, gun trafficking, extortion, arson, drug trafficking, and other crimes.
The announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Sharmese L. Walcott, State’s Attorney for the Hartford Judicial District; Hartford Police Chief Kenny A. Howell; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The 15-count indictment, which was returned by a grand jury in Hartford on January 8, 2025, charges
ANGEL RIVERA, a.k.a. “Rico,” a.k.a. “Slatt,” 24
RAQUAN KNIGHT, a.k.a. “RQ,”21
PAUL DOWNER, a.k.a. “Luap Benji,” 28
MEKHI THOMPSON, a.k.a. “Midnight,”24
PAUL CLARKE, a.k.a. “Tommy Bunz,” 30
TYSHON WALKER, a.k.a. “Pone Gwapoo,”26
JOSHUA CRUZ, a.k.a. “Hop-out Curly,” 24Clarke and Walker were arrested on January 9, 2025, and were ordered detained. Rivera, Knight, Thompson, and Cruz were previously detained in state custody on related charges, and Downer was previously detained in state custody for unrelated offenses.
The indictment alleges that the Hoodstar Gzz gang, which since it was formed in 2010 has referred to itself by a variety of names, including “Hoodstars,” “Hoodstarz,” “Hoodstar Gzz,” and “Gz,” generally operates between Capen, Westland, Enfield, and Main Streets in Hartford. The gang has distributed narcotics and engaged in multiple violent acts against rival gang members and innocent citizens; trafficked narcotics in Vermont and moved firearms from Vermont to Connecticut; utilized stolen vehicles in furtherance of the gang’s affairs and burned vehicles that were used in the commission of crimes; and recorded and distributed rap music to promote the gang’s criminal activity.
Among the violent acts committed by the defendants, the indictment alleges that:
- On April 16, 2019, Thompson attempted to murder members of a rival gang, which resulted in gunshot wounds to individuals with the initials T.J., G.C., and J.H. in Hartford.
- On January 22, 2021, Downer shot R.F. in the femoral artery for failure to pay a drug debt in St. Johnsbury, Vermont.
- On April 10, 2021, Rivera, Knight, Cruz, and other Hoodstar Gzz members and associates shot and killed Jamari Preston, a member of the rival Ave gang and wounded J.O. in Hartford.
- On January 18, 2022, Rivera, Walker, and Cruz and other Hoodstar Gzz members and associates shot at A.G., a.k.a. “Watts,” and shot and injured J.O. in Hartford.
- On January 18, 2022, Rivera, Walker, Cruz, and other Hoodstar Gzz members and associates shot and killed Kendall Fair, a.k.a. “Swerve,” and shot and injured J.W. in Hartford.
- On June 19, 2022, Knight shot E.A. in Hartford.
- On August 1, 2022, Rivera and other members and associates of the Hoodstar Gzz gang shot and killed Brian Evans and shot and injured D.G. and J.M. in Hartford.
- On September 14, 2022, Thompson and Rivera got into a confrontation with Devante Gardner over a rental car Thompson failed to return. Thompson then shot and killed Gardner.
- On October 27, 2022, Thompson and Rivera were involved in a car accident with a black Nissan sedan. Thompson and Rivera fled the scene. The Nissan followed them for approximately 1.6 miles. Thompson then exited the vehicle and shot and killed the driver of the Nissan, Manuel Rodriguez.
“We allege that members of the Hoodstar Gzz have engaged in murder and numerous other violent acts against both rival gang members and innocent civilians, and their criminal activity extended to northern Vermont, where they trafficked drugs and acquired firearms, some of which they transported back to Connecticut,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “This case is a clear demonstration of our commitment to relentlessly pursue and dismantle organizations that threaten the peace and security of our communities. The effort to connect these violent acts and bring these individuals to justice has been a collaborative one, and I want to thank the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies involved for their dedication to make our communities, both here in Connecticut and in Vermont, safer.”
This indictment – which is the first RICO indictment since the launch of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Hartford in April 2024 – alleges that the defendants engaged in numerous violent acts, including shooting at suspected rival gang members and shooting and killing a motorist with whom two of the defendants got into a car accident,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Violent gangs like the Hoodstars terrorize local communities and threaten safety across Hartford. Today’s announcement demonstrates that the VCI is already making an impact in Hartford, through the deployment of Criminal Division resources, in close coordination with our partners, to target the specific drivers of violent crime and hold gang members accountable for their crimes.”
“The Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have endeavored to partner on crime reduction strategies to benefit the community, law enforcement, and improve case outcomes,” said Hartford State’s Attorney Walcott. “There is a tremendous amount of work that goes into building these cases and it takes a team of people all rowing the same direction. These arrests are a clear sign of our commitment to making a significant impact on gun violence in and around the Hartford community, and we will continue to work, tirelessly, to bring to justice those responsible.”
“For more than two years, the FBI and its law enforcement partners have worked tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle the Hoodstarz organization,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Fuller. “This violent criminal organization has been responsible for wreaking havoc in the Hartford area and its takedown is a positive step forward in the never-ending quest to keep our community safe. Let this be a firm message that the FBI and its local, state, and federal partners will remain relentless in the fight to identify, disrupt, and dismantle violent criminal organizations.”
“Criminal gangs terrorize communities, leaving violence and destruction in their wake,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Krol. “These individuals have been charged with crimes ranging from firearms possession to murder and, if convicted, will face serious federal prison time. HSI works with our state, local, and federal partners to dismantle criminal gangs like the Hoodstar Gzzs and help communities reclaim their safety and their streets.”
The indictment charges Rivera, Knight, Downer, Thompson, Clarke, Walker, and Cruz with one count of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, an offense that ordinarily carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. If the defendants are convicted of a special sentencing factor, they face a maximum term of imprisonment of life. These defendants are also charged with conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, which carries a mandatory sentence of at least 10 years’ imprisonment.
The indictment also charges Rivera and Thompson with murder in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute. This offense carries a mandatory term of imprisonment of life, or death if the government seeks the death penalty in this matter. Both defendants are also charged with using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least 10 years of imprisonment, and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, or death if the government seeks the death penalty in this matter.
Finally, the indictment charges Cruz and Walker with possessing a machine gun during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least 30 years of imprisonment, and illegal possession of a machine gun, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Hartford, and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) programs.
The VCI surges law enforcement tools and resources to target gangs and other violent groups that are threatening the safety and security of communities in the cities across the nation. The VCI utilizes prosecutors from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section – the nation’s foremost experts in racketeering prosecutions – to work alongside prosecutors from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, as well as dedicated investigative agents, analysts, and forensic experts from FBI, ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
PSN brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, HSI, ATF, the Hartford Police Department, the East Hartford Police Department, the Windsor Police Department, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, the Connecticut Department of Correction, the St. Johnsbury (Vt.) Police Department, the Northfield (Vt.) Police Department, and the Vermont State Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Dearington, John T. Pierpont, Jr., and Shan Patel from the District of Connecticut, and Trial Attorneys Jeremy Franker and Christopher Usher from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont.
New Haven Gang Member Involved in 2021 Murder Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
QUAYMAR SUGGS, 20, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 250 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent New Haven street gang and his murder of an associate of a rival gang in May 2021.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating a gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city. The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven. Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020.
The investigation revealed that Suggs and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders. Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence. Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube.
On July 1, 2024, Suggs pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, including acts of violence, narcotics trafficking, and gun sales, and specifically admitted that, on May 19, 2021, he shot and killed an 18-year-old associate of a rival gang. Suggs also admitted that in 2021, he and other Exit 8 members broke into a Connecticut state trooper’s car and stole the trooper’s duty bag.
Suggs has been detained since March 24, 2023.
This investigation has been conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Serial Fraudster Sentenced AgainRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JOHN VOLOSHIN, also known as “Josh Thomas,” 69, formerly of New Haven and Woodbridge, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to approximately 41 months of imprisonment, time already served, and three years of supervised release, for fraud and identity theft offenses. Judge Chatigny ordered Voloshin to serve the first six months of supervised release in a halfway house.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2012, Voloshin was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 33 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for operating multiple fraud schemes that caused losses of more than $1.5 million to individuals and lenders. He was released from prison in May 2014. In November 2014, he was sentenced to an additional nine months of imprisonment for violating the terms and conditions of his federal supervised release for repeatedly lying to his supervising probation officer by concocting a bogus job for a real estate concern in London. He was released from prison in June 2015. In the fall of 2015, Voloshin engaged in another fraud scheme by soliciting money from individuals and falsely representing that the money would be fully invested to generate very high returns. In November 2017, he was sentenced to 27 months of imprisonment for the offense and for violating his supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $275,000 in restitution, in addition to his restitution obligation from his 2012 conviction. He was released from prison in May 2018.
Between January and April 2019, Voloshin defrauded a company in Bloomfield that provided accounting and tax preparation services to individuals and companies. Voloshin stole blank checks for both the company’s business account and the company owner’s personal account, forged the owner’s name on the checks, and negotiated the checks for his own benefit. Voloshin also stole and negotiated checks and money orders that were written out as payment by third parties to the company. As part of the scheme, Voloshin incorporated an entity in Wyoming with a name very similar to that of the company, opened a bank account in the name of the sham company, deposited misappropriated checks into the account, and used the stolen funds for his own benefit. Through this scheme, Voloshin defrauded victims of $56,548.71.
On September 23, 2020, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Voloshin. He was arrested on July 14, 2021, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and had been detained since his arrest. On May 30, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Judge Chatigny ordered Voloshin to make full restitution.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Bloomfield Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Huang and Sean P. Mahard.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked Interpol and Brazilian authorities for their assistance in apprehending Voloshin, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for coordinating the extradition proceedings in this matter.
Former Massachusetts Police Officer Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Counterfeit Luxury Watches Imported from ChinaRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that KLEVIS NAKO, 24, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 60 days of imprisonment, followed by 18 months of supervised release, for his participation in a conspiracy to sell counterfeit luxury and designer brand watches imported from China.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from November 2020 to April 2024, Nako conspired with other individuals to sell counterfeit luxury watches to customers across the United States. He illegally imported the counterfeit watches from China or obtained them from a co-conspirator in New York, and then advertised and sold the watches on the internet and through social media accounts he operated on Facebook and Instagram. During the investigation, law enforcement officers made multiple undercover transactions in which they purchased counterfeit Rolex watches from one of Nako’s Instagram accounts for approximately $100 to $300 per watch.
Between February and July 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized approximately 16 parcels containing a total of 138 counterfeit Rolex watches and five counterfeit Audemars watches that were addressed to Nako’s residence. Between April and June 2022, CBP seized three parcels, containing a total of 11 counterfeit Rolex watches and one counterfeit Movado watch, which were addressed to an office that Nako had rented in Holden, Massachusetts. The seized counterfeit watches had a total estimated manufacturers’ suggested retail price of approximately $3 million had the watches been authentic.
Judge Oliver ordered Nako to forfeit $271,585 in proceeds of his crime.
Nako was arrested on April 3, 2024. On that date, a court-authorized search of Nako’s residence revealed more than 60 counterfeit luxury watches, as well as counterfeit watch boxes and shopping bags. On August 21, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods.
Nako was employed as a police officer with the Framingham State University Police Department in Framingham, Massachusetts, at this time of his arrest.
Released on $50,000 bond, Nako is required to report to prison on February 13.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has assisted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neeraj N. Patel and Shan Patel.
Federal Jury Finds Windsor Locks Man Guilty of Robbery OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in New Haven has found GEOFFREY SHAPIRO, 44, of Windsor Locks, guilty of committing two robberies in February 2020. The trial before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden began on January 8 and the jury returned its verdicts this morning.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, on February 9, 2020, at approximately 5:20 p.m., Shapiro entered the Dunkin’ Donuts, located at 142 Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury, placed an order, and then displayed a small handgun and pointed it at the employee at the register. Shapiro stated “Give me the money” two times. The employee gave Shapiro approximately $390. Shapiro said “thank you” and exited the store.
On February 21, 2020, Shapiro entered the Webster Bank located at 141 Hebron Avenue in Glastonbury. When he reached the teller counter, Shapiro handed the teller a note that stated in part “Stay calm” and “I have a gun.” The teller then gave Shapiro $1,837 from her drawer. Shapiro took back the note and exited the bank. Glastonbury Police arrested Shapiro later that day at his residence.
On February 22, 2020, a court-authorized search of Shapiro’s vehicle revealed a handgun, the demand note Shapiro used during the bank robbery, clothes worn by Shapiro during the robberies, and other evidence.
Shapiro was found guilty of one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of armed bank robbery, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 25 years.
Shapiro is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Glastonbury, Simsbury, and Westfield (Mass.) Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan J. Keefe and Natasha M. Freismuth.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Victims Who Advertised Goods on Internet MarketplacesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN VILLEGAS, also known as “Kirby,” 26, of Hartford was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 156 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for committing a series of gunpoint robberies targeting individual sellers of luxury goods over online marketplaces.
According to court documents and statements made in court, ATF, the Hartford Police Department, and the Middletown Police Department investigated a series of gunpoint robberies of individuals who advertised items for sale on internet marketplaces, such as Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp. At an arranged meeting place to sell their items, which included cell phones and luxury sneakers and accessories, the purported purchaser would brandish a firearm, force the victim to hand over the luxury goods, and flee. The investigation revealed that Villegas and Jalen Lasalle committed five armed robberies in Hartford in late August and early September 2022. Villegas, with his sister Valerie Meneses, also committed an armed robbery in August 2022 in Middletown.
Villegas has been detained since December 14, 2022. On September 12, 2024, he pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), and two counts of carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Lasalle and Meneses, both of Hartford, pleaded guilty to related charges. On October 16, 2024, Meneses was sentenced to 63 months of imprisonment. Lasalle awaits sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Hartford Police Department, and the Middletown Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and A. Reed Durham.
U.S. Attorney Avery encouraged those who sell and purchase items online, and need to meet an individual in person to complete the sale, to use a visible, monitored location. Contact your local police department to see if it offers a monitored meeting location, or search online for a nearby monitored location.
Former New Britain Resident Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAMON SOTO, 57, of the Bronx, New York, formerly of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force identified a cocaine trafficking operation that involved the shipment of parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine from U.S. Post Offices in Puerto Rico to various “drop addresses” in New Britain and Meriden, Connecticut, as well as addresses in Holyoke and West Springfield, Massachusetts. Soto and others picked up parcels from the drop addresses and delivered them to his New Britain residence or to a co-conspirator’s residence. They then delivered the cocaine to individuals in the Bronx in return for payment.
During the investigation, task force members intercepted and seized 10 suspicious parcels, each of which contained approximately two kilograms of cocaine, and identified approximately 280 suspicious parcels likely containing kilogram quantities of cocaine that had been delivered to the various drop addresses.
On May 1, 2023, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Soto’s residence and seized a loaded Ruger handgun, magazines, ammunition, two money counters, a digital scale with cocaine residue, and more than $1,000 in cash. A search of a co-conspirator’s residence on that date revealed two firearms, a drum magazine, ammunition, approximately two kilograms of cocaine, drug packaging material, and approximately $12,000 in cash.
Soto was arrested on February 14, 2024. On September 19, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Soto, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on February 26.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, which includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, and Town of Groton Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Levick and Konstantin Lantsman.
Violent Waterbury Gang Member Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DAYQUAIN SINISTERRA, also known as “Quan,” 27, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 420 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for offenses stemming from his participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging Sinisterra and 15 other 960 gang members with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses.
On March 13, 2024, Sinisterra pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, six counts of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and three counts of carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Sinisterra specifically admitted that he and other 960 members were engaged in violent activity and conspired to shoot and murder members of rival gangs, including:
- On September 21, 2018, in retaliation for the murder of an associate, Sinisterra and other 960 members participated in drive-by shootings of occupied residences on Lounsbury Street and Scott Road in Waterbury.
- On October 6, 2018, in a drive-by shooting, Sinisterra and other gang members attempted to murder individuals believed to be members of a rival gang, which resulted in gunshot wounds to an individual.
- On October 11, 2018, in an effort to murder rival gang members, Sinisterra and other gang members participated in a drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of an innocent bystander, 30-year-old Fransua Guzman, and the paralysis of a second victim.
- On November 1, 2018, Sinisterra shot a rival gang member.
- On November 18, 2018, Sinisterra and other gang members participated in a drive-by shooting of rival gang members, which resulted in gunshot wounds to two individuals.
Sinisterra has been detained since November 21, 2018.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Southington Police Department, Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the DEA Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo, who were cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
New London Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking Offense, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CRUZ J. BONILLA, 41, of New London, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to approximately 52 months of imprisonment, time already served, and six years of supervised release, the first six months of which Bonilla must serve in home detention, for trafficking narcotics and for violating his conditions of supervised release that followed a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2014, Bonilla was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 68 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for distributing heroin. He was released from federal prison in October 2019.
On four occasions between March and May 2020, an undercover law enforcement officer purchased heroin/fentanyl from Bonilla. During the investigation, law enforcement identified William Caraballo III, also known as “Wilo,” as Bonilla’s drug supplier and learned that Caraballo regularly transported kilogram quantities of heroin/fentanyl from New York to southeastern Connecticut for distribution.
Bonilla has been detained since his federal arrest on August 26, 2020. On July 30, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, a controlled substance.
Caraballo pleaded guilty to a related charge and, on December 12, 2024, was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Connecticut State Police, and the Connecticut Statewide Narcotics Taskforce East. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Natasha M. Freismuth.
Indictment Charges Norwich Man on Federal Supervised Release with Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging JAVON MORSE, 29, of Norwich, with cocaine distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 13, 2017, Morse was sentenced in Bridgeport federal court to 60 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for trafficking cocaine. He was released from prison in January 2021.
On October 14, 2024, while on federal supervised release, Morse was arrested by Norwich Police and charged with multiple offenses stemming from his alleged possession of nearly a kilogram of cocaine, narcotic pills, items used to process and package narcotics, four handguns, loaded high capacity magazines, and other items.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment, which was returned on December 17, 2024, charges Morse with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. Morse faces additional penalties if he is found in violation of the conditions of his supervised release.
Morse has been detained in federal custody since December 12, 2024. He appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Norwich Police Department, the Connecticut State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 69 Months in Prison for Possessing Gun and Drugs While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that STANDFORD SMITH, also known as “Pops,” 35, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 69 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses, and for violating his conditions of supervised release that followed a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2021, Smith was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 55 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for his role in a gun trafficking ring and for distributing crack cocaine. He was released from prison in February 2022.
On June 2, 2023, Hartford Police arrested Smith in the parking lot of a motel on West Service Road in Hartford. Smith possessed a loaded Ruger LCP Max .380 caliber firearm in his pants pocket, and a search of his vehicle revealed more than 30 fentanyl pills, approximately 23 grams of crack cocaine, and a digital scale.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Smith has been detained since his arrest. On July 9, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Judge Thompson sentenced Smith to 57 months of imprisonment for the narcotics and firearm offenses, and a consecutive 12 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
This investigation was conducted by the Hartford Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Connecticut Dentist Pays More than $600K to Settle False Claims AllegationsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William Tong, Connecticut Attorney General, today announced that LAKSHMI BETHI, DMD and her former businesses, NEW HAVEN DENTAL LLC, NEW HAVEN FAMILY DENTAL LLC, and NEW HAVEN FAMILY DENTAL GROUP LLC, have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments and have paid $608,296.39 to resolve allegations that they violated the federal and state False Claims Acts.
Bethi is licensed to practice dentistry in Connecticut. Bethi, New Haven Dental LLC, New Haven Family Dental LLC, and New Haven Family Dental Group LLC were enrolled as dental providers in the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (“CTMAP”), which includes the state’s Medicaid program.
It is alleged that, in violation of their CTMAP provider agreements and the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, Bethi and her dental practices submitted claims to the CTMAP related to dental services rendered to Connecticut Medicaid patients referred to the businesses by a third-party “patient recruiting” company. Bethi and her dental practices paid a patient recruiter $110 for each Connecticut Medicaid patient the recruiter referred to them whenever the patient received services over and above routine preventative care, such as dental cleanings and exams, and submitted claims for dental services rendered to those patients. With each submitted claim, they impliedly certified that the conditions of receiving payment were met, including, but not limited to, that they did not pay kickbacks or violate any terms or provisions of the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership (“CTDHP”) provider manual concerning the submitted claim.
The CTDHP provider manual, which is an addendum to both the CTMAP provider agreement and the CTMAP provider manual, expressly prohibits per-patient compensation for individuals referred to CMAP providers.
To resolve the allegations under the federal and state False Claims Acts, Bethi, New Haven Dental LLC, New Haven Family Dental LLC, and New Haven Family Dental Group LLC agreed to pay $608,296.39 to reimburse the Medicaid program for conduct occurring from January 1, 2019, through April 6, 2023.
Under the False Claims Act, the government can recover up to three times its actual damages, plus penalties of $13,946 to $27,894 for each false claim.
In a related federal criminal case, Bethi pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickback statute, admitting that between 2016 and 2023, she paid patient recruiters more than $360,000 in kickbacks. Connecticut Medicaid reimbursed Bethi approximately $2.2 million for services rendered to patients recruited via kickbacks. On December 18, 2024, she was sentenced in New Haven federal court to two years of probation and was ordered to forfeit $500,000.
This case stems from a larger investigation into fraudulent activity by health care providers who submit kickback-tainted claims to the CTMAP for services rendered to Connecticut Medicaid patients referred by third-party patient recruiting companies.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office; and the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne Thidemann and Elena Coronado, and Assistant Attorney General Joshua L. Jackson of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Bridgeport Felon Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SHACQUILLE JACKSON, 31, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 18, 2023, law enforcement spotted Jackson, who had an outstanding arrest warrant for a domestic violence incident, driving a car with license plates from another vehicle. After stopping, Jackson ran from the car with a gun in his hand. Officers apprehended Jackson and seized the handgun, which he had dropped. A search of Jackson’s person revealed approximately 87 grams of cocaine, 19 grams of crack cocaine, and $1,167 in cash, and a search of Jackson’s car revealed a semi-automatic handgun, an extended magazine loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition, and a digital scale.
Jackson’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for firearm, narcotics, robbery, burglary, and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Jackson has been detained since his arrest. On September 18, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Fairfield County Auto Theft Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery Announces ResignationRead the Press Release
New Haven – United States Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery today announced that she will resign from the Office effective at 11:59 p.m. on January 17.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as United States Attorney, and I am profoundly appreciative of President Biden for trusting me to serve our nation and the people of Connecticut in this position,” said Ms. Avery. “I have been especially honored to lead an office of extremely talented public servants who are dedicated to the highest standards of excellence and professionalism and committed to the cause of justice. Together, we have employed collaborative, data and intelligence-driven strategies to make our communities safer and ensure justice for all who live in our state. We have done the hard work of engaging the community alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, contributing to declining violent crime rates and opioid overdose deaths. I am confident that this Office will continue to make Connecticut a safe place to live, and have a positive impact in our communities.”
Ms. Avery was appointed by President Biden after confirmation by the United States Senate and sworn in as the 54th U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut on May 9, 2022. Under Ms. Avery’s leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prioritized the prosecution of crimes related to gun and gang violence, firearms trafficking, narcotics and counterfeit opioid pill trafficking, child exploitation, human trafficking and smuggling, financial frauds, public corruption, cybercrime, and national security issues. In addition, the Office’s Civil Division has aggressively pursued health care fraud violators, achieved numerous disability rights settlements, and recovered millions of dollars through forfeiture actions. In Fiscal Year 2023, the Office recovered more than $233 million in criminal and civil actions, which ranked third in the nation among all U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
As U.S. Attorney, Ms. Avery has stressed the Office’s community engagement, particularly through its HEAT and Fed-Up programs, as a critical component to reducing drug addiction, overdose deaths, and violent criminal behavior. In addition, she has spearheaded civil rights and hate crimes prevention through United Against Hate presentations across Connecticut. United Against Hate has raised community awareness about hate crimes, hate incidents, and discrimination, and is building bridges between law enforcement and community, ethnic, and religious groups, particularly those with members who have been reluctant to contact law enforcement for help.
Prior to her appointment as U.S. Attorney, Ms. Avery served as the Associate Attorney General and Chief of the Division of Enforcement and Public Protection at the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General. From 2014 to 2019, Ms. Avery was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Civil Division in this District, prosecuting a variety of complex civil fraud cases under the False Claims Act, asset forfeiture cases, environmental violations, civil rights matters, and defending Bivens and medical malpractice cases. From 2006 to 2014, Ms. Avery was a litigation attorney at McCarter & English LLP, where she focused on business and financial litigation, intellectual property, trust and probate, and product liability cases. From 2003 to 2005, Ms. Avery was a Trial Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice in the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Civil Division in Washington, D.C. From 1999 to 2003, she was an attorney in the Hartford Trial Group at Cummings & Lockwood LLC. Ms. Avery is a graduate of Yale University and the Georgetown University Law Center.
Marc H. Silverman, who has served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney since May 2024, will serve as Acting U.S. Attorney upon Ms. Avery’s departure. Mr. Silverman joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2010. From 2014 to 2022, he served as Deputy Chief of the Office’s Appellate Division, and from 2022 to May 2024, he was Chief of the Criminal Division. Mr. Silverman is a graduate of Yale University and Yale Law School.
Mr. Silverman will be the 55th U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, an office that was established in 1789.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is in excellent hands,” said Ms. Avery. “Marc and the Office’s superb supervisory team have the highest professional and ethical standards and, together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners will ensure that the administration of justice will seamlessly continue in our District.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Connecticut and representing the federal government in civil litigation. The Office is composed of approximately 68 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and approximately 54 staff members at offices in New Haven, Hartford, and Bridgeport.
New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Loaded Handgun While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KENNETH STURDIVANT, 39, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 17, 2014, Sturdivant was sentenced in Bridgeport federal court to 120 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for his involvement in a gang-related narcotics distribution ring. He was released from prison in December 2020.
On November 16, 2023, while on federal supervised release, Sturdivant discarded a loaded Smith & Wesson handgun and a distribution quantity of packaged fentanyl laced with xylazine near Congress Avenue after evading a New Haven Police traffic stop and abandoning his vehicle. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Sturdivant faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, and an additional penalty for violating the conditions of his supervised release. He is released on a $150,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Hartford Man Who Trafficked Guns and Crack Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JACQUERIE LABRONZE GIBSON, also known as “Compton,” 44, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 144 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking firearms and crack cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2021, law enforcement received information that Gibson was trafficking firearms that had been purchased by Jacintre Holley, and others on Holley’s behalf, in North Carolina; was distributing narcotics, which he sometimes traded for firearms; and was converting cocaine to crack cocaine at his Wethersfield Avenue apartment in Hartford. On August 12, 2021, investigators executed a court-authorized search warrant at Gibson’s residence and seized a loaded Taurus Model G3 9mm handgun, additional ammunition, a bullet proof vest, approximately 90 grams of crack cocaine, various items used to process and package narcotics, and $860 in cash. Gibson was in the apartment at the time of the search and was arrested.
The investigation revealed that Gibson’s firearm source in North Carolina had sold approximately 15 firearms to Gibson and approximately 50 firearms to another buyer in Connecticut. To date, at least 16 of these trafficked firearms have been recovered from crime scenes in and around Connecticut, including one that was used in homicide in Middletown on May 16, 2021.
Gibson’s criminal history includes felony convictions for drug, burglary, and failure to appear offenses, and a conviction in April 2005 for assault in the first degree stemming from a knife attack of his then girlfriend. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Gibson has been detained since his arrest. On August 31, 2023, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”), and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
On February 23, 2023, Holley was sentenced in the Eastern District of North Carolina to 127 months of imprisonment.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Middletown Police Department, and the Greenville (N.C.) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Groton Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RYAN CAMERON, 22, of Groton, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to a child exploitation offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2023, Cameron was convicted in state court of illegal dissemination of intimate images of a 15-year-old female. In April 2024, while Cameron was on state probation, his probation officer conducted a home visit and discovered Cameron was in possession of a cell phone in violation of the conditions of his probation. Subsequent forensic analysis of the phone revealed that it contained videos of child sexual abuse, and messages between Cameron and others in which Cameron solicited and distributed child pornography. The phone also contained recordings of Cameron sending sexually explicit images and videos of himself to young girls on Snapchat.
Cameron pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Sentencing is scheduled for March 28.
Cameron has been detained since May 20, 2024, when he was arrested on unrelated state charges.
This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
New Haven Psychiatrist to Pay More Than $450K to Settle False Claims Act and Controlled Substances Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong today announced that NAIMETULLA AHMED SYED, M.D. has entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments and agreed to pay $455,439.26 to resolve allegations that he violated the federal and state False Claims Acts and the civil provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) relating to his issuance of medically unnecessary controlled substances prescriptions.
Syed is licensed as a doctor of psychiatry and was the sole practitioner at his medical offices in Danbury and New Haven. It is alleged that, between June 2016 and June 2021, Syed issued medically unnecessary prescriptions – including prescriptions for controlled substances – for which Syed caused false claims to be submitted by Cornerstone Pharmacy, Inc. (doing business as “Whalley Drug”) in New Haven to Medicare and Medicaid for those medically unnecessary prescriptions. Syed also billed Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary office visits related to those medically unnecessary prescriptions.
In addition, it is alleged that Syed issued prescriptions for controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of professional practice, in violation of Syed’s obligations under the CSA. Syed issued prescriptions for excessive and unsafe amounts of benzodiazepines; for controlled substances to individuals displaying red flags of abuse, addiction, or diversion, including to individuals who received dangerous combinations of controlled substances (including the high-risk “holy trinity” drug combination of at least one opioid, benzodiazepine, and a muscle relaxant); and to an individual for buprenorphine, a synthetic opioid that can be used to treat opioid use disorders, at the same time that this individual was receiving oxycodone and hydrocodone from other providers. He also failed to maintain adequate treatment records, and maintained patient files devoid of any information documenting an examination or reasons for the prescriptions, or establishing a doctor-patient relationship.
On June 16, 2021, Syed voluntarily surrendered his DEA licenses.
In addition to making payment of $455,439.26 under the civil settlement agreement, Syed agreed to a 20-year exclusion from Medicare, Medicaid, and all other federal health care programs, as well as a 20-year suspension from the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program. Syed also entered into an agreement with the Connecticut Department of Public Health in which he agreed to cease the practice of medicine as of November 25, 2024, and to not renew his physician license, which expires this month.
In 2016, Syed paid $422,641.70 to resolve federal and state allegations that he submitted false claims for psychotherapy services to Medicare and Medicaid.
In April 2024, Cornerstone Pharmacy (d/b/a Whalley Drug) and its owner, Yong Kwon, paid $120,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the CSA by filling invalid prescriptions. Kwon voluntarily surrendered the DEA license for Whalley Drug, which no longer operates as a retail pharmacy, on June 22, 2021, after the DEA’s execution of an Administrative Inspection Warrant.
This investigation was conducted by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, and the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Gruber and David Nelson, and by Deputy Associate Attorney General Gregory O’Connell of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Two New Haven Men Found Guilty of Fentanyl Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a jury in Bridgeport federal court has found LUIS SALAMAN, also known as “Bebe,” 42, and JESUS SEGUINOT, also known as “Chuchi,” 34, guilty of fentanyl trafficking offenses. A trial before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill began on December 9 and the jury returned guilty verdicts on multiple counts of a superseding indictment late yesterday afternoon.
According to the evidence presented during the trial, in October 2021, the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force learned that Salaman was distributing large quantities of narcotics throughout New Haven. The investigation revealed that Salaman worked with Seguinot and others to distribute fentanyl. Between November 2021 and March 2022, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of distribution quantities of fentanyl from Salaman, Seguinot, and their associates.
The jury found Salaman and Seguinot guilty of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and Salaman guilty of three counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The jury found Salaman not guilty of four counts, and Seguinot not guilty of one count, of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
At sentencing, which is scheduled for March 13, Salaman faces a term of imprisonment of at least 10 years, and Seguinot faces a term of imprisonment of at least five years. Salaman faces enhanced penalties because of a prior conviction for a serious violent felony.
Salaman has been detained since his arrest on April 5, 2022. Seguinot was arrested on April 10, 2023, and is released on a $100,000 bond.
This investigation has been conducted by FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, which includes members from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Ruff and David T. Huang.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NICOLAS BROWN, also known as “Breezy,” 28, of New York, New York, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to child exploitation offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on multiple occasions in March 2024, Brown arranged Uber trips to pick up one to three teenage girls, two of whom were under the age of 18, from a state-run group home in Connecticut and deliver them to him at various Connecticut hotels and shopping malls where he engaged in sexual conduct with one of the minor victims. On one occasion, an Uber trip that Brown arranged took the two minors to meet him at the Bridgeport train station. Brown and the two minors traveled to Manhattan, and then to a hotel in South Hackensack, New Jersey, where they stayed for several days.
On March 20, 2024, Brown was located at a hotel in Danbury and arrested on state charges. An iPhone seized from Brown at the time of his arrest revealed videos depicting child sex abuse, including videos that that he took engaging in sexual conduct with a minor victim.
Brown pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Brown has been detained since his arrest. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 18 in Hartford.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Hartford Police Department, and the Danbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo.
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for its cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Bank General Counsel Pleads Guilty to Offenses Stemming from $7.4 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
JAMES BLOSE, 56, of Fairfield, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to offenses stemming from a decade-long embezzlement scheme at banks where he served as General Counsel and held other high-ranking positions.
The announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England; and Brian Tucker, Special Agent in Charge of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection’s Office of the Inspector General, Eastern Region.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately 2013 to January 2022, Blose was an attorney and held high-ranking positions, including General Counsel, at Hudson Valley Bank and Sterling National Bank. From approximately January 2022, when Webster Bank acquired Sterling National Bank, until February 2023, Blose served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Webster Bank.
From approximately 2013 until Webster Bank discovered his scheme and his employment was terminated in February 2023, Blose defrauded his employers (“The Bank”) in various ways. In certain commercial loan transactions where The Bank was the lender, Blose fraudulently retained for himself portions of closing costs, including legal fees. In certain real estate transactions in which The Bank was the seller, Blose retained portions of the sale proceeds for himself. For some of the real estate transactions, Blose created false documents in order to hide his theft from The Bank. Blose also stole from The Bank in other ways.
As part of the scheme, used his attorney trust accounts to make personal expenditures, and to transfer funds to accounts in the names of business entities he created and controlled, and then used those funds for his personal benefit. Through this scheme, Blose stole approximately $7.4 million from his employers.
Blose pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. He is released on a $250,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for March 13 in Hartford.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection’s Office of the Inspector General. Financial crimes investigators from Webster Bank assisted the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. McGarry and Ross Weingarten.
West Haven Woman Who Diverted Narcotics from Dying VA Medical Center Patients is SentencedRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TARA SEVERINO, 58, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to two years of probation, the first six months of which Severino must serve in home confinement, for diverting narcotics from veterans under her care while she worked as a nurse at the West Haven VA Medical Center.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Severino was employed as a registered nurse with the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (the “VA”) in West Haven and was assigned to the VA’s Intensive Care Unit (“ICU”) for sick or dying patients. From January to July 2023, Severino ingested fentanyl, hydromorphone, and oxycodone intended for patients in her care.
In some instances, Severino ingested the “waste” of a substance, meaning she administered part of the substance to a patient and ingested the remaining portion not used by the patient. In one instance, Severino repeatedly introduced fentanyl into the system of a braindead patient after claiming she observed him in pain and having a seizure. She introduced fentanyl to this patient approximately 19 times over a nine-day period so that she could divert some for herself.
In other instances, Severino ingested doses of hydromorphone and fentanyl meant for dying veterans. This affected treatment decisions made by other medical staff who believed that the patients had been receiving, and were unresponsive to, their prescribed narcotics.
In another instance, Severino volunteered to care for a patient not formally assigned to her, and diverted pain medication from him before he died.
In order to cover up her crimes, Severino misrepresented in VA medical records and tracking systems that the narcotics been properly administered to the patient or, in the case of excess narcotics, had been properly disposed of.
On June 18, 2024, Severino pleaded guilty to obtaining controlled substances by fraud or subterfuge.
This matter was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, with the assistance of the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the West Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SHAYQUAN GRAY, also known as “Scooby,” 24, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for firearm possession and drug distribution offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 14, 2024, New Haven Police officer observed Gray, who had an active state arrest warrant, participating in a drug transaction in the area of Ferry Street and English Street in New Haven. Gray was apprehended, and officers found him in possession of 80 individual bags of cocaine, a loaded Polymer 80 “ghost gun,” and more than $1,200 in cash.
Gray’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions, including possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle and robbery in the third degree.
Gray has been detained since his arrest. On August 19, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This matter was investigated by the New Haven Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Meriden Man Who Led Drug Trafficking Ring is SentencedRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JOEL CORDERO, 45, of Meriden, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 155 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin and fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force began an investigating an organization led by Cordero that was trafficking large quantities of heroin, fentanyl and other narcotics in Connecticut and western Massachusetts. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical surveillance, revealed that Cordero and his associates were receiving bulk quantities of heroin and fentanyl from out-of-state suppliers. They stored, processed, and packaged the heroin/fentanyl in multiple locations, including apartments located at 280 Collins Street in Hartford where some members of the organization resided, and distributed the drug in the Hartford area, and also the Springfield and Holyoke, Massachusetts area. A significant amount of drug trafficking activity occurred at the Neighborhood Supermarket, located at 316 Farmington Avenue in Hartford.
The investigation also revealed that members of the drug trafficking organization possessed and used firearms in connection with their drug trafficking activity.
During the investigation, law enforcement executed 12 search warrants in Connecticut and Massachusetts and seized approximately 10 kilograms of heroin and fentanyl, much of which was packaged for resale in hundreds of thousands of bags. Investigators also seized numerous vials of Xylazine, an animal tranquilizer used by narcotics traffickers as a heroin/fentanyl additive. Seven firearms, gun magazines, numerous rounds of ammunition, and a bullet proof vest were also seized from Cordero and his associates.
Fourteen individuals were charged with various narcotics, firearms, and immigration offenses as a result of this investigation.
Cordero has been detained since his arrest on June 29, 2017. On October 24, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one kilogram or more of heroin.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. Agencies assisting the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshals Service and Connecticut State Police.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Massachusetts Man Charged with Multiple Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a four-count indictment charging NICHOLAS KINGSLEY, 40, of Agawam, Massachusetts, with firearm possession offenses.
The indictment was returned on December 4, 2024. Kingsley appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on April 16, 2024.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on April 16, 2024, Enfield Police arrested Kingsley after a traffic stop and he was found in possession of three privately made firearms (“ghost guns”) and 45 rounds of ammunition. On April 18, 2024, while Kingsley was detained in state custody, HSI special agents conducted a search of his vehicle in Agawam and seized 14 fully assembled firearms, several Glock machine gun conversion devices, and more than 2,000 rounds of various caliber ammunition.
It is alleged that Kingsley’s criminal history includes felony convictions for drug, firearm, assault, and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment charges Kingsley with unlawful possession of firearms by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; unlawful possession of a machine gun, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; and unlawful possession of a weapon in violation of the National Firearms Act, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Enfield Police Department, and the Agawam Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Lembo.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
West Haven Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Federal Prison for Gun Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TREMAYNE FERGUSON, also known as “Tre,” 24, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 27 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a firearm trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 26, 2023, Stefan Bagley, Jr. was shot and wounded while traveling in his vehicle in Bridgeport. Later that same day, Bagley’s vehicle was used in another shooting incident in Bridgeport. An investigation revealed that, between October 2022 and October 2023, Bagley purchased more than 20 handguns from licensed firearm dealers and then trafficked the guns to a network of customers. Bagley typically scratched the serial numbers off of the firearms before providing them to his customers, making the guns more difficult to trace.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized text messages revealing that Ferguson transported and facilitated the transport of two firearms from Bagley to other individuals. Ferguson also asked Bagley to purchase firearms on his behalf.
Ferguson was on state probation at the time of the offense.
Ferguson was arrested on December 18, 2023. On September 9, 2024, he pleaded guilty to firearm trafficking conspiracy. Ferguson, who is released on a $75,000 bond, is required to report to prison on February 17.
Bagley pleaded guilty to the same charge and awaits sentencing. Most of the firearms trafficked by Bagley are unaccounted for.
U.S. Attorney Avery noted that this case is being prosecuted, in part, under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
This matter is being investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Bristol Man Pleads Guilty to Making Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DENNIS JOHN HERNANDEZ, also known as “DJ Hernandez” and “Jonathan Hernandez,” 38, of Bristol, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to making interstate threats.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6 and 7, 2023, Hernandez communicated with an individual via Facebook Messenger and made multiple statements threatening to carry out a shooting incident at UConn. The statements included “I would recommend remaining away from there because when I go I’m taking down everything And don’t give a f--- who gets caught in the crossfire. I’ve died for years now and now it’s others people turn. I’m prepared to give my life. So if I don’t get to see you on the outside know I love you always Not all shootings are bad I’m realizing. Some are necessary for change to happen.”
Court documents allege that Hernandez’s vehicle was identified on UConn’s campus on July 7.
On July 18 and 19, 2023, Hernandez made multiple Facebook posts threatening to harm or kill three individuals who reside out of state, including a state court judge. In addition, on July 19, in a conversation via text message with one of the victims, Hernandez stated “We’re taking lives if s--- isn’t paid up. It’s been years in planning just taking notes, names and locations. They talked their way into this and it’s almost point game. I know we don’t play in my family. If we have to take lives or buildings we will. So just letting you know so you can be prepared for a media circus one way or another.”
Hernandez pleaded guilty to transmitting interstate communications containing a threat to injure, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for February 6.
Hernandez has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on July 19, 2023.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bristol Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Vehicle Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ELVIS PEREZ, also known as “Pops,” 60, of Bridgeport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in a multistate identity theft scheme that defrauded dozens of individuals and businesses out of more than $1 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Perez was involved in a multistate identity theft scheme led by his son-in-law, Tyshon Walker, and his daughter and Walker’s spouse, Stephanie Perez. Beginning in September 2020, Walker obtained personal information stolen from residents of Connecticut and other states and used it to apply for vehicle loans at dealerships in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Rhode Island for motorcycles, an all-terrain vehicle, and other performance vehicles. Once the loan was approved by the dealership using the identity theft victim’s information, Walker would send “runners,” including Elvis Perez, to pick up the vehicle utilizing a fictitious driver’s license that included the identity theft victim’s information and a photograph of the runner. The vehicle was then transported back to Connecticut for resale on Facebook Marketplace.
Perez, sometimes alone and sometimes with an accomplice, travelled to at least four different car dealerships and stole at least four different vehicles as part of this scheme. Walker paid him for his work acquiring and transporting each vehicle.
Perez’s criminal history includes 12 felony convictions.
Perez has been detained since his arrest on July 19, 2023. On June 11, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Walker and Stephanie Perez have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, the Hopkinton (R.I.) Police Department, the Westtown – East Goshen Regional (Pa.) Police Department, and the Washington Township (N.J.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Heather M. Cherry.
Cryptocurrency Firm Executive Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Stealing $4.46 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DYLAN MEISSNER, 31, of Westport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for stealing more than $4 million from his former employer.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Meissner was employed at a cryptocurrency research firm as Vice President of Finance with access to the firm’s cryptocurrency wallets and bank accounts. In approximately January 2022, Meissner obtained a 50 Ethereum (approximately $170,000) loan from his employer, stating that he would use the funds in an attempt to avoid a substantial loss in certain cryptocurrency investments he had made using his personal funds. Then, from February 2022 until his termination in November 2022, in continued attempts to counteract significant personal trading losses, Meissner fraudulently diverted his employer’s funds to his own use and covered up his conduct through false entries in the firm’s books and records. Through this scheme, Meissner stole approximately $4,461,828 from his employer.
Judge Shea ordered Meissner to pay restitution of $4,633,424.99, which includes the money he stole from his employer and the loan he failed to repay.
Meissner, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on February 21.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
Armed Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DONALD HILL, also known as “Man Man,” 39, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 170 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for drug distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 29, 2022, Waterbury Police officers patrolling in response to recent shots-fired incidents attempted to stop a car Hill was driving on Englewood Avenue. Hill accelerated but was blocked by another police vehicle. He reversed his car, struck a police vehicle behind him that stopped his exit, and was subsequently forcibly removed from his car. A search of the car revealed a loaded handgun with an obliterated serial number; additional rounds of ammunition; more than 500 grams of crack cocaine; more than 1,600 baggies of fentanyl mixed with other substances, including cocaine and xylazine; six cellphones; and $2,489 in cash.
Analysis of the firearm using the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) connected it to a shooting in New Haven on January 21, 2022, and a shots-fired incident in Wolcott on October 29, 2022.
Hill’s criminal history includes convictions for weapon possession, narcotics distribution, escape, and other offenses.
Hill has been detained since his arrest on November 29, 2022. On May 14, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This investigation was conducted by the Waterbury Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
New London Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM CARABALLO, III, also known as “Wilo” and “Couzzo,” 41, of New London, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 144 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on four occasions between March and May 2020, an undercover law enforcement officer purchased heroin/fentanyl from Cruz J. Bonilla. During the investigation, law enforcement identified Caraballo as Bonilla’s drug supplier and learned that Caraballo regularly transported kilogram quantities of heroin/fentanyl from New York to southeastern Connecticut for distribution. On June 6, 2020, investigators tracked Caraballo as he traveled to the Bronx, New York, where he stayed for approximately 30 minutes before returning to Connecticut. Connecticut State Police stopped Caraballo’s vehicle on I-95 North in Connecticut and found him in possession of approximately one kilogram of fentanyl in a heat-sealed bag. Caraballo was arrested on state charges at that time.
Caraballo has been detained since his federal arrest on October 6, 2020. On June 27, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Caraballo’s criminal history includes an assault conviction in 2002 related to his shooting an individual in the arm after an argument about a football game, a conviction for stabbing a relative in the chest with a pocketknife in 2013, drug convictions, and convictions for other offenses.
On July 30, 2024, Bonilla pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, a controlled substance, and also admitted that he violated the conditions of his supervised release that followed a prior federal conviction. He is detained while awaiting sentencing.
This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Connecticut State Police, and the Connecticut Statewide Narcotics Taskforce East. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Natasha M. Freismuth.
Indictment Charges Waterbury Man with Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging JOSE ANTONIO MOLINA-MONTALVO, 36, of Waterbury, with the unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
The indictment was returned on November 25, 2024. Molina-Montalvo appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.
The indictment alleges that from October 11 to October 15, 2024, Molina-Montalvo unlawfully possessed a Harrington & Richardson 1871 INC. Handi Rifle.
The indictment further alleges that Molina-Montalvo’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for assault, possession with intent to sell narcotics, strangulation, harassment, burglary, and larceny. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. A charge is only an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Molina-Montalvo has been detained since his arrest on unrelated state charges on October 21, 2024.
This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont through Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Sex Offender Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation Offense, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL SZWARC, 36, of Derby, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 134 months of imprisonment, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for a child exploitation offense, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Szwarc was convicted in 2013 in state court of possession of child pornography in the second degree, and in 2022 in federal court of receipt of child pornography.
In January 2024, while Szwarc was on federal supervised release, his probation officer conducted an unannounced visit to his home and discovered that Szwarc was in possession of an unauthorized laptop. The probation officer seized the laptop. A forensic examination of the device revealed multiple images of child pornography, and the investigation revealed that Szwarc had used the dark web to access websites used to traffic and distribute images and videos of child sexual abuse.
On August 13, 2024, Szwarc pleaded guilty to accessing with intent to view child pornography. Judge Thompson sentenced Szwarc to 120 months of imprisonment for the offense, and a consecutive 14 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
The penalties in this matter were enhanced because of Szwarc’s prior federal and state convictions for possessing child pornography.
Szwarc has been detained since his arrest on February 9, 2024.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
New Haven Nurse Admits Tampering with and Stealing Lorazepam VialsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SEAN FALZARANO, 38, of Southbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to tampering with and stealing Lorazepam vials at the hospital where he was employed as a nurse.
Falzarano was employed at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) as a Registered Nurse. As part of his employment, Falzarano was granted access to secure locations used by YNHH to store controlled substances, including Lorazepam. On January 31, 2022, Falzarano took vials containing Lorazepam solution that he knew were intended to be dispensed to patients. He removed a portion of the Lorazepam solution from at least one of the vials, replaced the contents with an inert solution, and returned the vial to the secure location where it was available for distribution to patients. Falzarano also kept at least one vial that he had taken.
Falzarano pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and one count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of four years. Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for March 5.
Falzarano is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
Falzarano’s nursing license is currently suspended.
This matter has been investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; the DEA’s Hartford Diversion Control Division; and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
New Haven Gang Member Involved in 2 Murders and Other Shootings Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ANTWAN HILL, also known as “Bandz,” 20, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 215 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in a violent New Haven street gang and multiple gang-related shootings that resulted in two deaths.
Today’s announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; John P. Doyle, Jr., State’s Attorney for the New Haven Judicial District; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; and New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address violence in New Haven, the ATF, FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, have been investigating an ongoing gang war between members and associates of the Exit 8 street gang and rival gangs in the Hill section and other areas of the city. The Exit 8 gang is named after the geographic area accessed by exiting Interstate 91 at Exit 8 in New Haven. Recently, younger members of Exit 8 are identifying themselves with the word “Honcho,” which is derived from the street name of an Exit 8 member who was murdered on Quinnipiac Avenue in February 2020.
The investigation revealed that Hill and other members of the Exit 8 gang engaged in drug trafficking, used, and shared firearms, and, since June 2018, have committed at least three murders and 16 attempted murders. Exit 8 members and associates also stole vehicles, at times from outside of the state, and used those stolen vehicles when committing acts of violence. Gang members also promoted, coordinated, facilitated, and celebrated their narcotics distribution and acts of violence through text messaging and the use of social media applications and websites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube.
On April 18, 2024, Hill pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, and specifically admitted that he took part in four gang-related shootings, which resulted in two deaths. On September 26, 2020, Hill and another Exit 8 gang member shot and attempted to kill a member and associate of a rival gang. On May 19, 2021, Hill and other Exit 8 members conspired to kill rival gang members, including a rival gang member who was shot and killed on that date by another Exit 8 member. On July 5, 2021, Hill and another Exit 8 member shot and killed an individual. On April 12, 2022, Hill and another Exit 8 member shot and attempted to kill rival gang members.
Hill has been detained since August 3, 2023.
This investigation is being conducted by ATF, the FBI, the DEA, the New Haven Police Department, the Hamden Police Department, and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DEJAVAHN WATKIN, 25, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to a narcotics trafficking charge.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 1, 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force executed a court-authorized search warrant at Watkin’s apartment on Broad Street in Hartford. The search revealed approximately 38 grams of loose fentanyl, approximately 1,800 wax folds of fentanyl, quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine, items used to process and package narcotics, a loaded Glock .22 caliber handgun, and $18,362 in cash. Watkin was arrested at that time. Investigators subsequently recovered a loaded Stag Arms Stag-15 rifle that they determined Watkin had thrown from a window as they were about to enter his apartment.
Watkin pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Watkin has been detained since his arrest.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has assisted the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham.
Romanian National Involved in 2007 Connecticut Home Invasion Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that STEFAN ALEXANDRU BARABAS, 38, a citizen of Romania, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 84 months of imprisonment for his involvement in a 2007 Connecticut home invasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court in this case and related cases, shortly before midnight on April 15, 2007, Barabas, Emanuel Nicolescu, and Alexandru Lucian Nicolescu, wearing masks and brandishing knives and facsimile firearms, entered a home in South Kent, Connecticut. The intruders bound and blindfolded two adult victims and injected each with a substance the intruders claimed was a deadly virus. The intruders ordered the victims to pay $8.5 million or else they would be left to die from the lethal injection. When it became clear that the victims were not in position to meet the intruders’ demands, the intruders drugged the two residents with a sleeping aid and fled in the homeowner’s Jeep Cherokee.
The stolen Jeep Cherokee was abandoned the next morning at a Home Depot in New Rochelle, New York. On April 21, 2007, an accordion case washed ashore in Jamaica Bay. The content of the case included a stun gun, a 12-inch knife, a black plastic Airsoft gun, a crowbar, syringes, sleeping pills, latex gloves, and a laminated telephone card with the South Kent address of the victims.
In 2010, an investigator from the Connecticut State Police connected a partial Pennsylvania license plate, seen by a witness near the victims’ estate on the night of the crime, to a car owned by Michael N. Kennedy. Kennedy had formerly shared an address with Emmanuel Nicolescu, who had been employed by the victim. The investigator then discovered that the data for the cell tower near the New Rochelle Home Depot contained a call by a phone number registered to Emmanuel Nicolescu, minutes after the Jeep was abandoned. Shortly after that, investigators from the State Police and FBI gathered Emanuel Nicolescu’s DNA and found that it partially matched a sample from the Jeep’s steering wheel.
As to the accordion case, investigators learned that Kennedy’s father was a professional accordion player, and witnesses later identified the knife in the accordion case as a gift given to Emanuel Nicolescu by his father-in-law.
The investigation revealed that Emanuel Nicolescu and Kennedy worked with Barabas and Alexandru Nicolescu to commit the crime. Barabas’ co-conspirators planned the home invasion, which included the research and purchase of implements necessary for the crime, such as two-way radios, stun guns and imitation pistols. On the night of April 15, 2007, Kennedy drove Barabas, Emanuel Nicolescu, and Alexandru Nicolescu to a location near the South Kent home, and then picked them up the following morning in New Rochelle at the location where the intruders abandoned the stolen Jeep.
Barabas, Emanuel Nicolescu, Alexandru Nicolescu, and Kennedy fled the U.S. during the investigation. Emanuel Nicolescu returned to the U.S. and was arrested in Illinois in January 2011. Emanuel Nicolescu and Kennedy were charged by indictment in February 2011, and Barabas and Alexandru Nicolescu were charged by indictment in November 2012.
Barabas was a fugitive until his arrest in Hungary on August 16, 2022. On June 18, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion.
Barabas has been detained since his arrest.
On March 22, 2012, a jury in New Haven found Emanuel Nicolescu guilty of attempted extortion, conspiracy to commit extortion, and possession of a stolen vehicle. On August 17, 2012, he was sentenced to 240 months of imprisonment.
Alexandru Nicolescu was arrested on November 14, 2013, in the United Kingdom. On January 8, 2016, he pleaded guilty to attempted extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion. On May 15, 2019, he was sentenced to 121 months of imprisonment.
Kennedy, also known as Nicolae Helerea, a dual citizen of Romania and the U.S., voluntarily returned to the U.S. from Romania and, on November 5, 2012, pleaded guilty to attempted extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion. On May 4, 2016, he was sentenced to 48 months of imprisonment.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police and New York City Police Department. U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and law enforcement authorities in Hungary and the United Kingdom for their assistance in this case.
This matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
Indictment Charges New Haven Man with Cocaine Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging ROBERTO LOZADA, also known as Roberto Lozado and “Omi,” 51, of New Haven, with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
The indictment was returned on November 14, 2024, and Lozada appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge. He has been detained since his arrest on October 1, 2024.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on October 1, 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration received information that Lozada would be delivering a half-kilogram of cocaine to an unknown person in the area of Forbes Avenue and Woodward Avenue in New Haven. Investigators initiated surveillance and Lozada was stopped when he arrived at the location. A search of a backpack he was carrying revealed approximately 553 grams of cocaine.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force, which includes members from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. Keefe.
Home Health Care Company and Its Owners Pay More Than $360K to Settle False Claims AllegationsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William Tong, Connecticut Attorney General, today announced that HOME CARE VNA LLC and its current and former owners, SHAKIRA LUBEGA and CONSTANT OGUTT, have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments in which they will pay $361,520 to settle allegations that they were paid for home health care services that violated Medicaid regulations relating to plans of care.
Home Care VNA is a home health agency with offices located at 330 Main Street in Hartford. Lubega is the current owner of Home Care VNA and Ogutt is a former, part owner. Lubega and Ogutt are married.
The Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies expressly require, as a condition of payment for home health care services, that each patient has a plan of care, the plan of care is signed by a licensed practitioner, the plan of care is signed within 21 days after the episode of care begins, and a new or modified plan of care is reviewed, revised, and signed every 60 days.
The United States and the State of Connecticut contend that Home Care VNA, Lubega, and Ogutt submitted or caused to be submitted claims for reimbursement to Connecticut Medicaid for home health care services for patients who had unsigned plans of care or had no plans of care at all.
To resolve the governments’ False Claims Act allegations, Home Care VNA, Lubega, and Ogutt have agreed to pay $361,520, which covers the time-period from August 1, 2018, through March 26, 2020.
This matter was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Molot and by Assistant Attorney General Joshua Jackson of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
In 2022, Home Care VNA, Lubega, and Ogutt paid $630,000 to resolve Medicaid fraud allegations in Massachusetts.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Hartford Man Admits Trafficking Crystal MethRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GODFREY SMITH, also known as “Mike” and “Mikey,” 41, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to a methamphetamine trafficking charge.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and Middletown Police Department made a controlled purchase of approximately 53 grams of crystal methamphetamine from an individual in Middletown. During the transaction, investigators identified Smith as the source of the drugs. On August 22, 2024, investigators made a controlled purchase of approximately 240 grams of crystal methamphetamine from Smith in Hartford.
Smith was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on September 4, 2024. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement seized from Smith approximately 27 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 44 grams of cocaine, 32 grams of crack cocaine, $3,200 in cash, and a box of .45 caliber ammunition.
Smith pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, five grams or more of methamphetamine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford on February 28.
Smith is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has assisted the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham.
Extradited Nigerian National Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Business Email Compromise SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Okechuckwu Valentine Osuji, 39, a Nigerian national, was sentenced yesterday in New Haven, Connecticut, to eight years in prison for operating a business email compromise scheme out of multiple countries, including the United States.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Osuji and his co-conspirators targeted specific individuals and businesses by masquerading as trustworthy entities in electronic communications to obtain money. They used witting and unwitting “money mules” to receive fraud proceeds in their bank accounts and then either transferred those funds from the money mule accounts to accounts under the co-conspirators’ control or converted the stolen proceeds to cash for further transfer. Over the years-long operation of the scheme, numerous victims were tricked into transferring funds into bank accounts the victims believed were under the control of legitimate recipients as part of normal business operations. In reality, the bank accounts were controlled by Osuji and his co-conspirators. The victims included a Connecticut-based financial company, a Colorado-based lending company, an Alaska-based nonprofit performing arts organization, a New York-based food and beverage company, and many others.
The scheme also involved the exploitation of elderly individuals through romance scams to serve as some of the unwitting money mules, including one woman who testified at trial that she was duped into sending her own personal savings and income, including Social Security checks, to an individual she believed to be her romantic partner, but who was in fact one of Osuji’s co-conspirators. The scam resulted in the near-total depletion of her life savings, caused her to declare bankruptcy, and led to the repossession of her house. Her personal bank account was also used to facilitate the fraud against one of the companies targeted by Osuji.
Osuji was arrested in Malaysia and extradited to the United States in 2022. On May 1, 2024, a jury in New Haven found Osuji guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. As a result of the scheme, losses and intended losses totaled over $6 million. At his sentencing hearing, Osuji was ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
Osuji’s alleged co-conspirator, John Wamuigah, remains in Malaysia and is pending extradition proceedings. An indictment is merely an allegation, and Wamuigah is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Another co-conspirator, Tolulope Bodunde, also a citizen of Nigeria, pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Oct. 16 to two years in prison.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut; and Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller of the FBI New Haven Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI New Haven Field Office and the Stamford Police Department investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Royal Malaysia Police, and Malaysian Attorney General’s Chambers provided valuable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Osuji.
Trial Attorney Lydia Lichlyter of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel for the District of Connecticut are prosecuting the case.
To learn more about business email compromise scams, please visit www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/business-email-compromise and www.ic3.gov/CrimeInfo/BEC.
Extradited Nigerian National Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Business Email Compromise SchemeRead the Press Release
Okechuckwu Valentine Osuji, 39, a Nigerian national, was sentenced yesterday in New Haven, Connecticut, to eight years in prison for operating a business email compromise scheme out of multiple countries, including the United States.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Osuji and his co-conspirators targeted specific individuals and businesses by masquerading as trustworthy entities in electronic communications to obtain money. They used witting and unwitting “money mules” to receive fraud proceeds in their bank accounts and then either transferred those funds from the money mule accounts to accounts under the co-conspirators’ control or converted the stolen proceeds to cash for further transfer. Over the years-long operation of the scheme, numerous victims were tricked into transferring funds into bank accounts the victims believed were under the control of legitimate recipients as part of normal business operations. In reality, the bank accounts were controlled by Osuji and his co-conspirators. The victims included a Connecticut-based financial company, a Colorado-based lending company, an Alaska-based nonprofit performing arts organization, a New York-based food and beverage company, and many others.
The scheme also involved the exploitation of elderly individuals through romance scams to serve as some of the unwitting money mules, including one woman who testified at trial that she was duped into sending her own personal savings and income, including Social Security checks, to an individual she believed to be her romantic partner, but who was in fact one of Osuji’s co-conspirators. The scam resulted in the near-total depletion of her life savings, caused her to declare bankruptcy, and led to the repossession of her house. Her personal bank account was also used to facilitate the fraud against one of the companies targeted by Osuji.
Osuji was arrested in Malaysia and extradited to the United States in 2022. On May 1, 2024, a jury in New Haven found Osuji guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. As a result of the scheme, losses and intended losses totaled over $6 million. At his sentencing hearing, Osuji was ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
Osuji’s alleged co-conspirator, John Wamuigah, remains in Malaysia and is pending extradition proceedings. An indictment is merely an allegation, and Wamuigah is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Another co-conspirator, Tolulope Bodunde, also a citizen of Nigeria, pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Oct. 16 to two years in prison.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery for the District of Connecticut; and Special Agent in Charge Robert Fuller of the FBI New Haven Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI New Haven Field Office and the Stamford Police Department investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Royal Malaysia Police, and Malaysian Attorney General’s Chambers provided valuable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Osuji.
Trial Attorney Lydia Lichlyter of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel for the District of Connecticut are prosecuting the case.
To learn more about business email compromise scams, please visit www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/business-email-compromise and www.ic3.gov/CrimeInfo/BEC.
Wallingford Men Charged with Trafficking Fentanyl Laced with XylazineRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment today charging ALEXANDER GARCIA, 28, and DANIEL VARGAS, 27, both of Wallingford, with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in August 2024, the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization led by Garcia and Vargas, who were sometimes called “Drake and Josh” or “Mikey and Tony.” Between August and November 2024, investigators made several controlled purchases of fentanyl from Garcia and Vargas. Completed laboratory analysis of some of the purchased fentanyl revealed the presence of xylazine.
Garcia and Vargas were arrested on criminal complaints on November 13, 2024. On that date, a search of their residence on Lee Avenue in Wallingford revealed a firearm and more than $29,000 in cash. They have been detained since their arrests.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force includes members of the New Haven Police Department, East Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Cocaine While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that YOANNI SUAREZ, also known as “Cuba,” 48, last residing in Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2016, Suarez was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 78 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for trafficking heroin. He was released from federal prison in April 2021.
In July 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force began investigating a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was distributing kilogram quantities of fentanyl and cocaine in Connecticut. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, physical and electronic surveillance, controlled purchases of narcotics, and other investigative techniques, revealed that the head of the drug trafficking organization was receiving narcotics from sources in California via Mexico, and using Suarez’s son, Giovanny Jorrin, to send narcotics proceeds back to his sources. In February 2023, investigators seized two parcels that were mailed by Jorrin from a post office in West Hartford to California. One of the packages contained approximately $6,500 in cash and two new Apple iPhones, and the second package contained approximately $38,300 in cash.
Further investigation revealed that Suarez had a prior relationship with an identified narcotics source of supply. While on federal supervised release, Suarez helped arrange for packages of fentanyl and cocaine to be shipped to Connecticut, coordinated the sale of drugs to others in the Hartford area, and assisted in the collection and shipment of drug proceeds back to the source.
Suarez has been detained since his arrest on June 7, 2023. On June 13, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Jorrin pleaded guilty to a related charge and, on June 7, 2024, was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment.
This investigation is being conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Dearington and A. Reed Durham.
The case is being prosecuted through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 34 Months in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WESLEY S. PEARSON, 26, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 34 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 16, 2023, Bloomfield Police arrested Pearson after a domestic violence incident. Later that day, having applied for and received a Risk Protection Order from the Connecticut Superior Court, police searched the Bloomfield home where Pearson had been residing and seized three Glock handguns, two that were affixed with a “switch” that converted them to fully automatic firearms and a third that had an obliterated serial number; an L.A.R. Mfg. Grizzly15, multicaliber, short-barreled rifle; a privately manufactured AR-style pistol (“ghost gun”); 24 firearm magazines, including two high-capacity magazines; approximately 280 rounds of ammunition; and other firearm accessories.
The investigation revealed that Pearson directed music videos, under the name “The Kid Wes,” which featured suspected Hartford gang members celebrating gang violence and drug trafficking, among other topics. He also created his own videos, including one titled “Pray for Me” in which he raps “we outside every day on that strip…we got them Glocks with a switch, come out and play us, at least a hundred shots.”
Pearson was previously convicted in state court of a felony drug offense. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Pearson has been detained since May 16, 2023. On June 3, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This investigation was conducted by the Bloomfield Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Dearington.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Three New Haven County Residents Charged with Trafficking Counterfeit Pills and FirearmsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that on November 25, 2024, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a nine-count indictment charging LINDSEY EDWARDS, also known as “G-ride,” 45, of Hamden; MATTHEW SANTOS, 20, of Waterbury; and PARIS HUCKABY, 25, of New Haven, with various offenses related to the trafficking of counterfeit ecstasy pills and firearms.
Edwards, Santos, and Huckaby were arrested yesterday. They appeared in New Haven federal court and entered pleas of not guilty to the charges. Edwards is detained and Santos and Huckaby were each released on $100,000 bonds.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) New Haven Safe Streets Task Force has been investigating a drug trafficking organization led by Lindsey Edwards. The investigation included controlled purchases and the seizure of various narcotics, including multi-colored pills pressed to look like ecstasy, which contain methamphetamine and metonitazene, a synthetic opioid with a potency similar to or greater than fentanyl. During the investigation, law enforcement seized more than six kilograms of methamphetamine pills, approximately 600 grams of metonitazene pills, and approximately 300 grams of pills containing a synthetic amphetamine. Investigators also determined that Edwards and Santos trafficked firearms.
The indictment charges Edwards and Huckaby with one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine and metonitazene. In addition, Edwards is charged with three counts, and Huckaby with one count, of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
As to the drug conspiracy charge, based on the type and quantity of drug attributed to each defendant, Edwards faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and Huckaby faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. The substantive charge of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
The indictment also charges Edwards and Santos with one count of engaging in a firearms trafficking conspiracy, and with one count of unlawful transfer of a firearm. In addition, Edwards is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon, and one count of using, carrying, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
The firearms trafficking and possession charges each carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. As to Edwards, the charge of using, carrying, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the New Haven Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and Brendan J. Keefe through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
New London Behavioral Health Provider Agrees to Make Changes to Welcome Service Animals in ADA SettlementRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with Sound Community Services, Inc. (“Sound Community”), a behavioral health provider located in New London, to resolve allegations that the company was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).
The settlement agreement resolves an ADA complaint filed by an individual with a disability alleging that Sound Community made the person feel unwelcome because of their service animal, including by requesting a license and vaccination record for their service animal and refusing to arrange transportation on one occasion because of their service animal.
As a result of the settlement agreement, Sound Community has agreed to post signage indicating “Service Animals Welcome,” implement a Service Animal Policy that is consistent with the ADA, and provide training for staff. Sound Community must also make compensation payment to the complainant if the complainant signs a release.
Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including private health care facilities, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. As part of that obligation, public accommodations cannot discriminate against individuals with disabilities who have service animals and must make reasonable modifications to their policies, practices, and procedures to ensure equal access for those individuals. More information about the ADA and service animals can be found at https://www.ada.gov/topics/service-animals/.
U.S. Attorney Avery noted that the owners of Sound Community have worked cooperatively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to promptly address the ADA issues without litigation.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-696-3000.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY). More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stewart C. Dearing.