News Release [print friendly page]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2008

Two Guilty In Waterbury Drug Ring

MAY 16 -- June W. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New Englang and Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in New Haven has found two individuals guilty of charges related to their participation in a Waterbury-based narcotics distribution ring. NICHOLAS ROJAS, 41, of Waterbury, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”) and two counts of using a telephone to facilitate the possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. ROJAS was found not guilty of one count of using a telephone to facilitate the possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base. GWAYNE FISHER, also known as “Fruit,” 32, of Naugatuck, was found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and one count of using a telephone to facilitate the possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The trial began on Monday, May 12, and the jury returned its verdict this morning.

This matter stems from a collaborative long-term investigation into the distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin in central Connecticut. The evidence at trial revealed that Luis A. Colon, also known as “Anthony,” was one of the largest suppliers of cocaine in Waterbury. ROJAS was a street level dealer in Colon’s drug trafficking organization and sold crack cocaine for Colon in the High Street neighborhood. Wiretapped phone calls indicated that ROJAS had a customer base to whom he sold crack that he frequently received on credit from Colon.

FISHER was intercepted during other wiretapped conversations ordering and obtaining cocaine, mostly in half-kilogram quantities, from Colon. Testimony during the trial established that FISHER was known to utilize apartments located in the Enterprise Building on Cherry Street in Waterbury as stash locations.

ROJAS and FISHER are scheduled to be sentenced on August 4, 2008, at which time each faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of life. ROJAS has been detained since November 2006, and FISHER has been detained since May 2007.

On July 12, 2007, Colon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. He awaits sentencing.

This investigation was a collaborative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Waterbury Police Department and the Meriden Police Department.