Vanessa Roberts Avery, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has indicted two Wallingford men. Alexander Garcia, 28, and Daniel Vargas, 27, face charges related to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Gang Task Force began in August 2024. It focused on a drug trafficking organization led by Garcia and Vargas. They were sometimes referred to as "Drake and Josh" or "Mikey and Tony." Between August and November 2024, investigators conducted several controlled purchases of fentanyl from the two men. Laboratory analysis confirmed some samples contained xylazine.
Garcia and Vargas were arrested on November 13, 2024. During a search of their residence on Lee Avenue in Wallingford on the same day, authorities found a firearm and more than $29,000 in cash. The two have been detained since their arrests.
The charge they face carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
U.S. Attorney Avery emphasized that an indictment is not evidence of guilt: "Charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."
The FBI Safe Streets Gang Task Force includes members from several local police departments including those from New Haven, East Haven, Milford, as well as the Connecticut Department of Correction. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont is prosecuting this case.