Michael Cabassa, 48, of Torrington, pleaded guilty on July 30 before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to a narcotics trafficking offense and admitted violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction, according to an announcement by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
Court documents and statements made in court indicate that Cabassa was previously sentenced in January 2007 in New Haven federal court to 240 months of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release for trafficking crack cocaine. He was released from prison after receiving an executive grant of clemency on January 17, 2025. On December 27, 2025, Connecticut State Police arrested Cabassa following a one-car motor vehicle accident while he was driving under the influence; a search of his vehicle revealed distribution quantities of cocaine and fentanyl.
Cabassa pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Due to his prior federal drug conviction, this charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. He also faces additional penalties for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
Cabassa has been detained since his federal arrest on May 21, 2026. No sentencing date has been scheduled at this time.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Connecticut State Police are investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, described as “a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.” The U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut serves all residents within Connecticut by prosecuting federal crimes and handling civil cases for the U.S. government within its jurisdiction; it operates under the Department of Justice with about 68 assistant U.S. attorneys and employs approximately 57 support staff members, according to its official website.