David X. Sullivan, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Neysa Vazquez-Ferrer, a 35-year-old resident of Waterbury, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea handed down the sentence in Hartford for her involvement in a drug trafficking operation based in Waterbury.
The FBI's Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force, along with other law enforcement agencies, investigated two drug trafficking organizations operating in Waterbury. One was located near William Street and the other near Maple Avenue. The investigation involved wiretaps, video surveillance, GPS tracking, and controlled narcotics purchases. It revealed that these organizations distributed cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl through a network of sellers and shared supply sources.
Vazquez-Ferrer managed a stash location for the Maple Street organization where she packaged crack cocaine into individual dose capsules. She also involved her two teenage daughters in packaging and delivering narcotics.
As a result of this investigation, seventeen individuals faced federal charges. Vazquez-Ferrer and several co-defendants were arrested on November 29, 2023. During these arrests, authorities executed search warrants and seized approximately 700 grams of crack cocaine, over 900 vials of crack cocaine caps, around 200 grams of loose fentanyl, more than 1,600 dose bags containing fentanyl/heroin mix, two stolen firearms with ammunition rounds, and over $39,000 in cash.
On January 31, 2025, Vazquez-Ferrer pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. She is currently out on bond but must report to prison by July 11.
The FBI’s task force includes members from multiple police departments including those from Waterbury and Naugatuck as well as the Connecticut Department of Correction. Other agencies such as the DEA and Homeland Security Investigations assisted in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Shan Patel are prosecuting this case under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan expressed gratitude towards the Waterbury State Attorney’s Office for their cooperation throughout this investigation.
