Hartford Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Heroin, Firearm

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on November 20, JOEL DELEON, 34, of Hartford, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 51 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 19, 2014, Hartford Police Department detectives observed DELEON engage in what they believed to be a hand-to-hand narcotics transaction.  The detectives stopped DELEON’s vehicle and, upon questioning, DELEON admitted that he had narcotics and a handgun.  A search of the vehicle’s glove box revealed approximately 30 individualized bags of heroin and a High Standard Sentinel .22 caliber revolver, which had an obliterated serial number and was loaded with nine rounds of .22 caliber ammunition.

DELEON has been detained since his arrest on November 19, 2014.  On August 28, 2015, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hartford Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Gustafson and Gabriel J. Vidoni.