Three Waterbury Men Indicted for Trafficking "Black Tar" Heroin

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that on October 28, 2015, a federal grand jury in Bridgeport returned a four-count indictment charging HUGO TEJEDA, 23, IVAN LERMA, also known as “Aurelia Llano” and “Miguel Cardona,” 24, and VLADIMIR RODRIGUEZ-LARA, 35, all of Waterbury, with trafficking “black tar” heroin.

As alleged in court documents, in August 2015, the Drug Enforcement Administration received information that an individual was in possession of approximately 1.5 kilograms of “black tar” heroin from Mexico and was searching for a buyer.  The DEA subsequently identified the individual as TEJEDA, and LERMA and RODRIGUEZ-LARA as his associates.  On August 10 and August 20, TEJEDA drove LERMA to meetings at which LERMA supplied black tar heroin to confidential informants working for the DEA.  On August 13, 2015, TEJEDA drove LERMA to a meeting during which LERMA agreed to sell 1.5 kilograms of heroin to a confidential informant in exchange for $76,000.

On August 27, 2015, TEJEDA, LERMA and RODRIGUEZ-LARA were arrested when they attempted to sell the 1.5 kilograms of heroin to the confidential informants.

The indictment charges TEJEDA, LERMA and RODRIGUEZ-LARA with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, and possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, one kilogram or more of heroin, offenses that carry a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of life in prison. The indictment also charges TEJEDA and LERMA with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, offenses that carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.       

The defendants were originally arrested on federal criminal complaints.  LERMA has been detained since his arrest, and TEJEDA and RODRIGUEZ-LARA are each released on a $50,000 bond.

This investigation has been conducted by the Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, which includes personnel from the DEA, Connecticut State Police and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford and Milford Police Departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy C. Brown.