New London Man Charged with Cocaine Distribution and Firearm Possession Offenses

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging LUIS OLIVER-GARCIA, also known as “Bebo,” 34, of New London, with cocaine distribution and firearm possession offenses.

The indictment was returned on July 2, 2024, and Oliver-Garcia appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria E. Garcia in New Haven pleaded not guilty to the charges.  He has been detained since his arrest on June 21, 2024.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force identified Oliver-Garcia as a large scale distributor of cocaine.  The investigation revealed that Oliver-Garcia rented a storage unit at a facility on Cross Road in Waterford to store narcotics and other items.  On June 21, 2024, Oliver-Garcia arrived at the storage facility shortly before investigators were about to conduct a court-authorized search of his storage unit.  Oliver-Garcia was arrested after the search revealed more than three kilograms of cocaine, approximately $30,000 in cash, and a 9mm firearm, and a search of the car that he drove to the facility revealed an additional quantity of cocaine and two boxes of 9mm ammunition.

It is alleged that Ortiz-Garcia’s criminal history includes state convictions for felony drug distribution and weapon possession offenses.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

The indictment charges Oliver-Garcia with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force, which includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reed Durham.