One Man Involved In Southeast Connecticut Narcotics Ring Pleads Guilty, Another Sentenced

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANGEL COLLAZO GARCIA, also known as “Yuyo,” 47, of New London, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to conspiring to distribute cocaine in southeastern Connecticut.  In addition, JOSE REYNOSO MONEGRO, also known as “Culito,” 45, of New York, who was charged as a result of the same investigation, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 35 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, 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.  The investigation revealed that certain members of the conspiracy coordinated the shipment of heroin, and sometimes cocaine, via human couriers from the Dominican Republic to the United States.  Other members of the conspiracy obtained kilogram-quantities of cocaine in Puerto Rico and then mailed the drug to locations in and around New London where it was sold to distributors and customers.  Narcotics were also obtained from sources in New York City and Rhode Island.

More than 100 individuals were charged in April 2013 with federal and state offenses as a result of this investigation.

COLLAZO GARCIA pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.  According to court documents and statements made in court, he sold cocaine, marijuana and other drugs from the “Green Garages,” a series of garage bays on Walker and Bristol Streets in New London.

COLAZZO GARCIA is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on December 3, 2014, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. 

The investigation revealed that Luis Ariel Capellan Maldonado received heroin from a Dominican-based source of supply through New York and then distributed the drug to his own customer base in and around New London.  REYNOSO MONEGRO helped facilitate these deals by holding cash from Capellan Maldonado for his New York source of supply.

On January 6, 2014, REYNOSO MONEGRO pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin.

Capellan Maldonado has also pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

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 cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. 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.

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U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
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thomas.carson@usdoj.gov