Joel Cordero, a 45-year-old resident of Meriden, Connecticut, was sentenced to over 12 years in prison for his role in leading a drug trafficking operation. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport, also includes five years of supervised release.
The investigation into Cordero's activities began in October 2016 and was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force. It uncovered a network that distributed heroin and fentanyl across Connecticut and western Massachusetts. The organization reportedly received large quantities of these narcotics from out-of-state suppliers, which were then stored and packaged at various locations including apartments on Collins Street in Hartford.
According to court documents, significant trafficking activity took place at the Neighborhood Supermarket on Farmington Avenue in Hartford. Additionally, firearms were linked to the organization's operations.
Law enforcement executed multiple search warrants during the investigation, seizing approximately 10 kilograms of heroin and fentanyl along with firearms and ammunition. They also found vials of Xylazine, an animal tranquilizer often used as an additive in narcotics.
In total, fourteen individuals faced charges related to narcotics, firearms, and immigration offenses as part of this case. Cordero has been held since his arrest on June 29, 2017. He pleaded guilty on October 24, 2024.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force worked alongside several local police departments and federal agencies such as the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone is prosecuting the case under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.
The OCDETF aims to dismantle criminal organizations through collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.