Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that AXEL PIZARRO, 41, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the fall of 2015, the DEA New Haven Task Force initiated an investigation into a cocaine trafficking organization headed by Halby “Harv" Lopez. The investigation revealed that Lopez, and his associates, Omar Polanco-Mendez and Bernardo “Benny" Roman-Rolan, were obtaining bulk quantities of cocaine from multiple suppliers, including PIZARRO, and redistributing the cocaine to a network of New Haven-area street-level dealers. The investigation included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of drugs and the seizure of multiple kilograms of cocaine.
On March 2, 2016, PIZARRO delivered at least 500 grams of cocaine to Polanco on consignment.
PIZARRO was arrested on March 16, 2016 and, on March 24, 2016, a grand jury in New Haven returned a 13-count indictment charging him, Lopez, Polanco-Mendez, Roman-Rolan and six other individuals with various narcotics offenses. All of the defendants pleaded guilty.
On Sept. 22, 2016, PIZARRO pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
This is PIZARRO’s second federal conviction for trafficking cocaine.
On Feb. 24, 2017, Polanco-Mendez was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment and, on March 2, 2017, Roman-Rolan was sentenced to 68 months of imprisonment. Lopez awaits sentencing.
The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, East Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden and Derby Police Departments, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Caruso and Jennifer Laraia.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
