Puerto Rico Man Sentenced to 66 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE TORRES SERRANO, 30, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to 66 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 19, 2015, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“HSI”) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contacted HSI agents in Hartford and relayed information that two packages containing an approximate combined weight of 5.27 kilograms of cocaine were destined for locations in Waterbury and Middletown. The investigation revealed that SERRANO was responsible for the shipping of the packages from Puerto Rico and was the intended recipient of both packages. SERRANO, who had travelled from Puerto Rico to receive the packages and distribute the cocaine, was arrested at the Waterbury address on November 20, 2015.

SERRANO has been detained since his arrest. On September 16, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Middletown Police Department and the Connecticut State Police, with the support and assistance of the Middlesex State’s Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Spector and Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Eugene Calistro, who was cross-designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in this matter.