Hartford Heroin Dealer Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ, 34, also known as “Ralphie,” was sentenced today by United States District Judge Mark R. Kravitz in New Haven to 80 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing heroin and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2010 and January 2011, an individual working with law enforcement made controlled purchases of heroin from RODRIGUEZ and his cousin, Jocelyn Perez. The investigation revealed that RODRIGUEZ was using 146 Mark Twain Drive in Hartford, where Perez resided with her four minor children, to store, process, and package heroin.

On January 7, 2011, a court-authorized search of the Mark Twain Drive residence revealed 3482 bags of heroin from a second floor closet, approximately 77 grams of heroin hidden in a bag of rice in a kitchen cabinet, and assorted paraphernalia associated with the processing and packaging of heroin.

On September 6, 2011, RODRIGUEZ pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 or more grams of heroin.

On October 19, 2000, RODRIGUEZ was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Connecticut to 120 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release, for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. He was released from the Bureau of Prisons on November 1, 2007, and was on supervised release in January 2011.

Perez has pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. She awaits sentencing.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crime and Gang Task Force Task Force, which includes representatives of the FBI, Connecticut State Police and Hartford Police Department.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian P. Leaming.