New London Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Prison for Role in 2012 Homicide

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANDREW AVILES, also known as “P.A.” and “Papo,” 30, of New London, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 237 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in the September 2012 homicide of Javier Reyes of New London.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Oscar Valentin, also known as “Tato,” operated and managed a narcotics distribution enterprise at the “Green Garages,” a series of garage bays located as 12/14 Walker Street in New London. In the summer of 2011, Valentin was the intended victim of a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by former members of his enterprise in an attempt to take over narcotics distribution at the Green Garages. In September 2012, Valentin hired Nestor Pagan, also known as “Ernie” and “Naeem Medina,” to assault Javier Reyes. Pagan then hired Jose Rosado, Jr., also known as “Gugie,” and AVILES to carry out the assault of Reyes in exchange for cash.

On the evening of September 12, 2012, Reyes, 36, was stabbed multiple times outside of his apartment at 187 Huntington Street in New London, and died a short time later. He also had blunt force trauma to the back of his head.

Video surveillance at the time of the attack showed Rosado, carrying a baseball bat, and another individual, creeping toward Reyes and then running away from him about 15 seconds later.

The investigation revealed that Rosado hit Reyes with the bat, knocking him to the ground. AVILES then stabbed Reyes multiple times.

On January 22, 2015, AVILES pleaded guilty to violating the Travel Act by using a facility in interstate commerce, namely a cellular telephone, with the intent to commit a crime of violence in furtherance of an unlawful activity, and thereafter committed the crime of violence.

On May 2, 2016, a federal jury found Valentin guilty of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, but could not reach a verdict on charges against Valentin and Pagan related to the assault of Javier Reyes. Valentin subsequently agreed that the government could prove that the murder of Javier Reyes was related to Valentin’s drug trafficking enterprise and, on June 22, 2017, he was sentenced to 201 months of imprisonment.

On August 11, 2016, Pagan pleaded guilty in state court to one count of conspiracy to commit assault first degree-aided by others. On August 23, 2016, he was sentenced to 17 years of incarceration. On that same date, the federal charges against him related to the assault of Reyes were dismissed. On March 7, 2017, as part of an unrelated case, Pagan pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. When he is sentenced on the firearm charge, as a result of a binding plea agreement, he will be sentenced to a 10-year concurrent sentence.

On July 22, 2014, Rosado pleaded guilty to one count of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering, and aiding and abetting the same. On February 15, 2017, he was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment.

This matter was investigated by the New London Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police’s Eastern District Major Crime Squad, the Connecticut Department of Correction, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service and the New London State’s Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Kaplan and Sarah Karwan, and Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Paul Narducci.