Hartford Man Sentenced to 45 Months in Prison for Distributing Heroin, Violating Supervised Release

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM MARRERO-BENITEZ, 25, of Hartford, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 45 months of imprisonment, followed by three 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, on December 14, 2016, Hartford Police officers conducting a heroin trafficking investigation attempted to stop a vehicle MARRERO-BENITEZ was driving in the area of New Britain Avenue and Broad Street.  MARRERO-BENITEZ accelerated from the scene at a high rate of speed, striking the front of a police vehicle, swerving through traffic, ignoring red lights and stop signs, and nearly striking at least two other vehicles head-on.  Officers pursued MARRERO-BENITEZ on I-84 East into East Hartford where MARRERO-BENITEZ drove off the road and down an embankment, and then fled the vehicle and ran into the woods.  An officer caught up to MARRERO-BENITEZ and, after a struggle during which the officer was kicked in the head, MARRERO-BENITEZ was apprehended.  At the time of his arrest, MARRERO-BENITEZ possessed 138 wax folds containing heroin.

In May 2015, MARRERO-BENITEZ, who was on state probation at the time, illegally possessed and sold a rifle to an individual working with law enforcement.  He subsequently pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon and, on July 7, 2016, was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.  He was released from federal prison in October 2016.

On March 29, 2018, MARRERO-BENITEZ pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.

Judge Covello sentenced MARRERO-BENITEZ to 27 months of imprisonment on the heroin offense, and a consecutive 18 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his federal supervised release.

MARRERO-BENITEZ has been detained since December 14, 2016.

This matter was investigated by the Hartford Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Hartford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone and Michael J. Gustafson.