New London Heroin Dealer Sentenced To 70 Months In Federal Prison

Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ORLANDO SANTIAGO, 38, of New London, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing heroin.  He was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.

In early 2012, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the U.S. Secret Service and the New London Police Department initiated an investigation to combat the large-scale trafficking of heroin and cocaine from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico into and around southeastern Connecticut.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on multiple occasions between October 2102 and February 2013, SANTIAGO was intercepted over a court-authorized wiretap ordering heroin from his drug supplier.  Investigators also observed SANTIAGO after he traveled to a residence on Hawthorne Drive in New London to complete a number of these transactions.

SANTIAGO was arrested on April 3, 2013.  On July 18, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.

More than 100 individuals have been charged with federal and state offenses as a result of this investigation.

This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Air and Marine; Connecticut State Police; New London Police Department, Norwich Police Department, Waterford Police Department, Groton Town Police Department, East Lyme Police Department and Putnam Police Department.  The United States Marshals Service; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations; Drug Enforcement Administration; HSI Assistant Attaché, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; HSI Arecibo, Puerto Rico Resident Office;  Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation; Connecticut Department of Correction, Parole and Community Services; and the Groton City, Willimantic, New Haven and Bristol Police Departments have provided valuable assistance to the investigation.

The federal case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alina P. Reynolds, Sarah P. Karwan and Henry K. Kopel.  The state cases are being prosecuted by the State’s Attorney for the New London Judicial District and Senior Assistant State’s Attorneys Paul Narducci and Stephen Carney.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

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