Eastern Connecticut Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison

 John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CARLOS DELGADO, also known as “Los,” 51, of Mansfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall to 300 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for drug trafficking and firearm possession offenses.

Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the sentencing occurred via videoconference.

According to the evidence presented during a trial in this matter, in 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and Willimantic Police Department initiated a joint federal, state and local law enforcement investigation targeting an eastern Connecticut drug trafficking organization headed by Delgado.  The investigation revealed that Delgado was coordinating the shipment of kilogram quantities of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico to various locations in eastern Connecticut.  Delgado and his associates distributed the drugs and then mailed cash proceeds from narcotics sales back to individuals in Puerto Rico.  During the investigation, investigators seized a package containing nearly one kilogram of cocaine that had been mailed from Puerto Rico to Delgado, and two packages containing $26,860 and $9,900 in cash, respectively, that Delgado had mailed to addresses in Puerto Rico.  Trial evidence established that Delgado had received more than 10 packages, each containing at least one kilogram of cocaine, from Puerto Rico.

Further investigation revealed that Delgado also received cocaine from a source in the Dominican Republic, and that he received heroin from a source in Mexico.

Delgado was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 9, 2018.  On that date, a search of Delgado residence, vehicle and a third location revealed more than one kilogram of heroin, narcotics packaging materials, five firearms, ammunition, and approximately $74,000 in cash.

Delgado has been detained since his arrest.

On January 21, 2020, a jury found Delgado guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine; and one count of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.  The jury found Delgado not guilty of one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  On January 22, 2020, the jury found Delgado guilty of one count of possession of firearms by a previously convicted felon.

Delgado’s criminal history includes state convictions for narcotics, assault, burglary, larceny and other offenses, and a federal conviction in 2004 for trafficking in stolen credit card account numbers.  He was sentenced to 37 months of imprisonment for the federal offense, and a subsequent 18 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his federal supervised release.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force, Willimantic Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Connecticut State Police.  The DEA Task Force includes participants from the Bristol, East Hartford, Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Willimantic and Windsor Locks Police Departments, and the Food and Drug Administration.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Patrick F. Caruso through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.