Kyle Petersen, a 39-year-old resident of Newington, has entered a guilty plea for a narcotics trafficking charge and admitted to breaching the terms of supervised release related to a previous conviction. The announcement was made by Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
Court documents reveal that in May 2023, the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad began investigating packages delivered to Petersen's residence in Newington. At that time, Petersen was on federal supervised release for a 2017 conviction relating to fentanyl and prescription pill trafficking. A court-authorized search of a package meant for Petersen uncovered over 400 grams of pills containing Protonitazene, a potent synthetic opioid. The investigation further found that Petersen received approximately 34 similar packages from a Michigan source, as well as about 46 packages suspected to contain marijuana from California and Oregon. Investigators conducted controlled purchases of counterfeit Percocet pills with fentanyl from Petersen’s brother, Erik Peterson.
Both Kyle and Erik Petersen were arrested on federal criminal complaints on April 3, 2024. A search of Kyle Petersen's home revealed over a kilogram of counterfeit Adderall pills with methamphetamine, counterfeit oxycodone pills with fentanyl, counterfeit Xanax pills, a substantial amount of Protonitazene, about 40 grams of cocaine, and $76,650 in cash. Petersen has been detained since his arrest.
Kyle Petersen admitted to conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and Protonitazene. He also agreed to forfeit the cash found at his home, an additional $57,530 from a bank account, and a 2014 Porsche Cayenne. Sentencing is scheduled for July 3, where Petersen faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment with a potential maximum of life imprisonment.
Erik Petersen, residing in New Britain, has also pleaded guilty to a related charge and is awaiting sentencing.
The case is being handled by the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad with support from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and police departments in New Britain and Newington. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe is prosecuting the case.
