United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

DEA TASK FORCE INVESTIGATION RESULTS IN SEVEN ARRESTS, SEIZURE OF MORE THAN FIVE KILOS OF HEROIN

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Steven W. Derr, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, today announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging seven men with heroin trafficking offenses stemming from the seizure last week of more than five kilograms of heroin from a location in Hartford.  The indictment was returned yesterday, October 21.

According to court documents, in the early morning hours of October 14, 2010, Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force officers searched an apartment located at 143 Grandview Terrace in Hartford and seized approximately 5.6 kilograms of heroin; cutting agents and sifters used to dilute heroin; and narcotics packaging material.  On that date, Task Force officers arrested seven individuals and also seized three vehicles and approximately $8800 in cash.

One kilogram of heroin can produce approximately 50,000 single-dosage-unit bags of heroin.

The indictment charges the following six individuals with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin:

JEFFERSON HERNANDEZ, 22, of Brooklyn, New York,
MARIANO REYES RAMIREZ, 39, of Grandview Terrace, Hartford,
AMBIORIS CRUZ, 29, of Bonner Street, Hartford,
JUAN PARADES, 49, of Brooklyn, New York,
FRANKLYN CATALINO PAREDES, 25, of Brooklyn, New York, and
TOMAS OCASIO, 50, of Park Street, Hartford.

The indictment also charges HERNANDEZ, REYES RAMIREZ and CRUZ with one count of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.

If convicted of the heroin conspiracy or heroin possession charges, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

Finally, the indictment charges REYES RAMIREZ, CRUZ and MIGUEL SUAZO, 34 of Broad Street, Hartford, each with one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, a charge that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of the three vehicles and cash seized on October 14.

Each of the seven defendants has been detained since his arrest.

U.S. Attorney Fein stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by a Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force composed of agents and officers from the DEA and the Bristol, Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Newington and Wethersfield Police Departments.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tracy Lee Dayton, Michael J. Gustafson and Geoffrey M. Stone.

CONTACT:

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