John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a grand jury in Hartford returned a 14-count indictment today charging the following 10 individuals with heroin trafficking offenses:
MICHAEL LUCIANO, 32, of New London
EDDY PENA, 29, of Montville
MARIO RECINOS, 26, of Central Falls, R.I.
ELIZABETH MORALES, 47, a citizen of Guatamala residing in Johnston, R.I.
MAYCOL CAMPOS, 36, of Attleboro, Mass.
SELENA MENA, 28, of New London
ROBERTO ROMAN, a.k.a. “Indio," 47, of New London
WILLIAM GONZALEZ-NIEVES, 26, of Norwich
JOSE QUINONES, 56, of Providence, R.I.
HECTOR QUINONES, 38, of Freetown, Mass.
The indictment stems from an investigation headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force East and New London Police Department targeting a southeastern Connecticut heroin trafficking ring. The investigation began after several heroin overdoses in southeastern Connecticut, including two overdose deaths involving a heroin and fentanyl mix that occurred in January 2016.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, between January and June 2017, investigators made controlled purchases of heroin from Luciano and Gonzalez-Nieves. Subsequent court-authorized wiretaps revealed that Recinos and Morales, with the assistance of Campos, regularly supplied heroin on credit to Luciano, who then distributed the drug to a large customer base in southeastern Connecticut. Pena also supplied Luciano with heroin. Mena and Roman assisted Luciano by packaging heroin for distribution, making deliveries and collecting drug proceeds that Luciano then delivered to Recinos and Morales.
It is further alleged that Recinos supplied Hector Quinones and Morales supplied Jose Quinones with distribution quantities of heroin.
All of the defendants, with the exception of Hector Quinones, who has been incarcerated in Rhode Island for an unrelated state offense, were arrested on November 14. On that date, investigators executed 12 federal search warrants and seized more than three kilograms of heroin, including significant quantities from Luciano, Recinos, Morales, Jose Quinones, Roman and Campos. Investigators also seized approximately 100 grams of fentanyl from Campos, more than $14,000 in cash from Pena, and more than $13,000 in cash from Morales.
All of the defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin. If convicted of this charge, based on their conduct and the quantity of heroin involved in the conspiracy, Luciano, Recinos, Morales, Campos, Roman and Mena face a minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; Pena, Gonzalez-Nieves and Jose Quinones face a minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and Hector Quinones faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Luciano, Pena, Mena, Roman and Gonzalez-Nieves are also charged with one or more counts of possession with intent to distribute, and/or distribution of, heroin.
All of the defendants are detained.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations, Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force East and the New London, Norwich, Waterford, Attleboro (Mass.) and Freetown (Mass.) Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Dave Vatti and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
