United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

INDICTMENT RETURNED AGAINST DRUG TRAFFICKING RING OPERATING IN NEW HAVEN COUNTY
New Haven Car Dealership Owner Target of Wiretap Investigation

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kimberly K. Mertz, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that a federal grand jury sitting in New Haven has returned a 21-count Indictment charging various narcotics offenses related to the large-scale distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and oxycodone in New Haven, East Haven, Branford, West Haven and other towns in New Haven county.

To date, 10 of the charged defendants have been arrested. During the course of these arrests, law enforcement officers have seized more than $75,000 in cash, more than 1100 grams of powder cocaine and approximately 750 grams of crack cocaine.

The Indictment was returned on June 4, 2009, and has remained under seal to allow for the arrest of the charged individuals.  The case was unsealed today by United States Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel in Bridgeport federal court during the initial presentments for the arrested defendants.

The charges stem from an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) investigation dubbed “Operation Brass Deal,” which was spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force in New Haven.  As alleged in the Indictment, from November 2008 through May 2009, the lead target of the investigation, ROBERTO RODRIGUEZ, also known as “Tito,” who owns and operates Buy Rite Auto Sales on Ella Grasso Boulevard in New Haven, ran a drug trafficking operation based in New Haven that supplied cocaine to various distributors in the New Haven area. RODRIGUEZ is charged in 11 separate counts in the Indictment with distribution of various quantities of powder cocaine and crack cocaine.

In addition, RODRIGUEZ’s son, ROBERTO RODRIGUEZ, also known as “Blanco,” allegedly operated his own cocaine trafficking operation in New Haven with co-defendants SPENCER MCWEENEY and NATE MINERVINI.  BLANCO RODRIGUEZ is aslo charged in one count with his father with distribution of 50 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), in one count with SPENCER MCWEENEY with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in one count with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and in one count with possession with intent to distribute oxycodone.  BLANCO RODRIGUEZ and MCWEENEY remain fugitives at this time.  Each are also charged in separate counts in the Indictment with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.

Based on statements made in an earlier court proceeding, the investigation involved the use of wiretaps on cellular telephones used by TITO RODRIGUEZ and BLANCO RODRIGUEZ, as well as the controlled purchase of various quantities of cocaine and cocaine base from both of these individuals. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Huntington Street, New Haven, on May 2, 2009 and seized almost 500 grams of powder cocaine, 750 grams of crack cocaine, and more than $70,000 in cash.

The Indictment charges the following individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine:

ROBERTO RODRIGUEZ, a.k.a. “Tito,” 50, of Lexington Avenue, New Haven
 
ROBERTO J. RODRIGUEZ, a.k.a. “Blanco,” 30, of Monticello Drive, Branford

MARLISA RODRIGUEZ, 29, of Meadowbrook Court, West Haven

JOHN CRISANTI, 48, of James Street, New Haven

ANTONIA DELUCIA, 51, of Cranston Street, New Haven

MICHAEL DEPAOLA, 53, of North Main Street Ext., Wallingford

WILLIAM GAMBARDELLA, a.k.a. “Willie,” 31, of New Haven

JAMES MAENZA, 31, of Middletown Avenue, North Haven

SPENCER MCWEENEY, a.k.a. “Spence,” 21, of Prospect Place Ext., East Haven

NATE MINERVINI, 30, of Short Beach Road, East Haven

GERALD MONTANARI, a.k.a. “Jerry,” 51, of Ellyn Drive, West Haven

The Indictment also charges RUBEN GARCIA, 33, of Saltonstall Avenue, New Haven, with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and LUIS PAOLINO, 39, of Center Street, New London, with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of cocaine base.

In addition to the defendants charged in the Indictment, a criminal forfeiture count seeks forfeiture of narcotics proceeds and items used to facilitate narcotics trafficking, including more than $75,000 in cash and two vehicles.

The FBI in Connecticut arrested TITO RODRIGUEZ on May 21, 2009, and MARLISA RODRIGUEZ on June 1, 2009. ANTONIA DELUCIA, MICHAEL DEPAOLA, JAMES MAENZA, JOHN CRISANTI, GERALD MONTANARI, and RUBEN GARCIA were arrested today. The DEA in New York arrested LUIS PAULINO today. WILLIE GAMBARDELLA is in state custody on unrelated charges, and has not yet been presented in federal court.  BLANCO RODRIGUEZ, SPENCER MCWEENEY and NATE MINERVINI remain fugitives at this time

As to TITO RODRIGUEZ, BLANCO RODRIGUEZ, and LUIS PAULINO, the Indictment charges at least one count as to each defendant that alleges that the quantity of cocaine base involved in the defendant’s offense conduct involved at least 50 grams.  If convicted of this charge, each defendant faces a maximum term of life imprisonment, a mandatory minimum term of 10 years and a maximum fine of $4 million.  The filing of a second offender notice under the federal statute would double these penalties.

As to RUBEN GARCIA and MICHAEL DEPAOLA, the Indictment charges at least one count as to each defendant that alleges that the quantity of powder cocaine involved in the defendant’s offense conduct involved at least 500 grams.  If convicted of this charge, each defendant faces a maximum term of 40 years of imprisonment, a mandatory minimum term of five years and a maximum fine of $2 million.  The filing of a second offender notice under the federal statute would double these penalties, as well.

As to JOHN CRISANTI, ANTONIA DELUCIA, MICHAEL DEPAOLA, WILLIAM GAMBARDELLA, a.k.a. “Willie,” JAMES MAENZA, SPENCER MCWEENEY, a.k.a. “Spence,” NATE MINERVINI, and GERALD MONTANARI, a.k.a. “Jerry,” the Indictment charges, among other things, that the offense conduct involved a quantity of cocaine.  If convicted of this charge, each defendant faces a maximum term of 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $1 million.

Acting U.S. Attorney Dannehy stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which it is the Government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Dannehy commended the law enforcement agents and officers who conducted the investigation and praised their devoted efforts to identify, disrupt and dismantle this substantial narcotics trafficking operation.  “This case is yet another example of how a collaborative effort by federal, state and local law enforcement agents can have a positive impact on our communities by removing high level narcotics traffickers responsible for supplying drug dealers with large quantities of narcotics for resale.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Mertz also commended the work of the Agents and Task Force officers.  “The dismantlement of this organization is due to the hard work of many protecting our citizens, and I also extend my thanks to our law enforcement partners.”

This matter was investigated by the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Task Force, which is composed of representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Haven Police Department, the Ansonia Police Department, the Milford Police Department, the East Haven Police Department, the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Department of Correction.  This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert M. Spector and Christopher M. Mattei.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov