Windham Resident Involved in Drug Ring Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE LIZARDO-OLEA, 30, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in Windham, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 15 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine and crack.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2015, the DEA, Willimantic Police Department and Connecticut State Police initiated an investigation into a Willimantic-based narcotics trafficking ring after several overdoses in the region. The investigation, which included the use of confidential informants, physical surveillance, controlled purchases of drugs and court authorized wiretaps on five cellular telephones utilized by the co-conspirators, revealed that Jose Miranda, also known as “Omar,” 52, of the Bronx, N.Y., was supplying large quantities of heroin and cocaine to individuals in eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island, including Carlos Alberto Lopez-Zelada, of Willimantic, and Persio Hernandez, of North Windham. In Connecticut, Lopez-Zelada converted a portion of the cocaine he received into crack cocaine. Lopez-Zelada, Hernandez and other co-conspirators then distributed heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine in the Willimantic area.

LIZARDO-OLEA worked with Carlos Lopez-Zelada in supplying cocaine and crack cocaine, connecting Lopez-Zelada to customers, and delivering drugs for Lopez-Zelada.

LIZARDO-OLEA was arrested on July 6, 2016. On December 23, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (“crack”).

LIZARDO-OLEA faces immigration proceedings when he is released from prison.

Miranda, Lopez-Zelada and Hernandez pleaded guilty to related charges. On June 13, Miranda was sentenced to 74 months of imprisonment. Lopez-Zelada and Hernandez await sentencing.

This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Caruso, David Nelson and Amy Brown.