Ramon Soto, a 57-year-old former resident of New Britain, Connecticut, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his involvement in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport. Following his imprisonment, Soto will also serve four years of supervised release.
The investigation into the cocaine trafficking operation was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force. It uncovered a scheme involving the shipment of parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico to various addresses in Connecticut and Massachusetts. These locations included New Britain, Meriden, Holyoke, and West Springfield.
Soto and others involved would collect these parcels from designated drop addresses and transport them to either Soto's residence or that of a co-conspirator in New Britain. Subsequently, they delivered the cocaine to individuals in the Bronx for payment.
During the course of the investigation, authorities intercepted and seized 10 suspicious parcels each containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine. They also identified around 280 additional parcels suspected to contain similar quantities that had been delivered to various drop addresses.
On May 1, 2023, law enforcement conducted a search at Soto’s residence where they found a loaded Ruger handgun along with magazines and ammunition. Additional items seized included two money counters, a digital scale with cocaine residue, and over $1,000 in cash. A concurrent search at a co-conspirator's home revealed two firearms, drug packaging materials, approximately two kilograms of cocaine, ammunition including a drum magazine, and about $12,000 in cash.
Soto was arrested on February 14, 2024. He later pleaded guilty on September 19, 2024 to charges related to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine.
Currently released on a $50,000 bond pending his report date for incarceration on February 26th this year.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Levick and Konstantin Lantsman following an investigation conducted by multiple agencies including members from local police departments as well as federal entities such as the U.S Postal Inspection Service among others.