David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that VICTOR VILLANUEVA, 54, of Brownsville, Texas, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to nine years of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2006 and May 2009, VILLANUEVA conspired with Connecticut resident Anthony Spence and others to traffic large quantities of cocaine from Texas to Connecticut.  During this time, Spence made several trips to Texas to procure cocaine from VILLANUEVA.  In January 2007, Spence and other associates traveled from Connecticut to Texas and obtained 26 kilograms of cocaine from VILLANUEVA.  Spence arranged for his associates to transport the cocaine back to Connecticut in a pickup truck while Spence traveled in a separate vehicle directly in front.  The pickup truck was stopped by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the cocaine was seized and the driver was arrested.  Spence was not stopped or arrested at that time.

In May 2009, VILLANUEVA traveled to Connecticut and sold three kilograms of cocaine to Spence.  The cocaine was seized by DEA agents following the execution of a search warrant in the Hartford apartment of Spence’s girlfriend.  Spence was arrested at that time.

VILLANUEVA has been detained in federal custody since his arrest on February 22, 2011.

On April 13, 2010, Spence was sentenced to 144 months of imprisonment for participating in this cocaine distribution conspiracy, and also a scheme to defraud large retail stores of more than $1.2 million using counterfeit checks.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David E. Novick.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov

 

 

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