Hartford Drug Dealer Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PEDRO RIVERA, also known as “Heavy,†42, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2017, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force launched an investigation into a drug trafficking organization that was selling large amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine in Hartford. Julio Oliveras, also known as “Cuzzo Jay,†was identified as the leader of the organization. The investigation, which included approximately six months of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical surveillance, revealed that Oliveras and his associates supplied distribution quantities of narcotics to several Hartford-area drug dealers, including Rivera, and used multiple locations in Hartford to process, store and distribute narcotics.
Rivera was regularly intercepted on wiretaps ordering fentanyl and heroin, typically in 50-gram or 100-gram quantities, and wholesale quantities of cocaine, from Oliveras.
Rivera, Oliveras and other members of the organization were arrested on July 19, 2018. On that date, investigators executed 10 search warrants and seized approximately 2.7 kilograms of fentanyl, one kilogram of heroin, approximately 500 grams of crack cocaine, 100 grams of cocaine, eight firearms, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, cash, and other evidence of narcotics trafficking activity. The drugs and firearms were found at a stash house Oliveras maintained, a storage unit he rented, and the residences of his associates.
On August 2, 2018, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Rivera, Oliveras and 14 co-defendants with various offenses.
Rivera has been detained since his arrest. On August 29, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine.
Oliveras pleaded guilty to narcotics and firearm offenses and, on January 15, 2020, was sentenced to 186 months of imprisonment.
This is Rivera’s second federal conviction. In September 2004, he was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment for distributing large quantities of crack cocaine. His sentence was subsequently reduced to 48 months of imprisonment pursuant to changes in the federal sentencing guidelines for crack cocaine offenses.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. Agencies assisting the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Connecticut Department of Correction, and the East Hartford, New Britain, Newington and West Hartford Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
Department of Justice
Office of the U.S. Attorney
District of Connecticut
Source: Justice.gov