Hartford Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EFRAIN CHEVEREZ, 42, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 28 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that Issachamil Torres, also known as “Chamil,” was trafficking fentanyl from his residence on Crown Street in Hartford, and that he was using an apartment on Nutmeg Lane in East Hartford to store, process and package narcotics for street sale.  On January 25, 2023, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of the East Hartford apartment and seized approximately 5,400 dose bags of fentanyl, approximately one kilogram of unpackaged fentanyl, and items used to process and package narcotics.  Torres, Cheverez, and Enrique Rodriguez Rivera, who were present in the apartment, were arrested at that time.  That same day, a search of Torres’s Hartford residence revealed distribution quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine, and approximately $30,000 in cash.

On July 18, 2023, Cheverez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl.

Cheverez, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 1.

Torres and Rodriguez pleaded guilty to related charges.  On December 19, 2023, Rodriguez was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment.  Torres awaits sentencing.

This investigation was conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force, which 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.

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.