A Hartford man has been indicted on charges of drug distribution and firearm possession, as announced by Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Ramon Luis Guzman, 54, faces federal charges following a grand jury indictment.
The indictment was returned on March 13, 2025. Guzman was arrested shortly after and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was ordered detained.
Court documents reveal that a search conducted on September 27, 2024, at Guzman's residence uncovered quantities of fentanyl, phencyclidine (PCP), cocaine; three firearms including a Sig Sauer .40 caliber pistol; a Glock 9mm pistol with a laser sight; a Springfield Armory .45 caliber pistol; and three loaded magazines. Following this discovery, Hartford Police arrested Guzman on state charges.
Guzman's criminal history reportedly includes felony convictions for multiple drug offenses and robbery in Connecticut. Under federal law, individuals previously convicted of felonies are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition that have traveled through interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment includes one count of possession with intent to distribute significant quantities of fentanyl and other drugs which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment up to a maximum of forty years. Additionally, there is one count related to firearm possession by a felon which could result in up to fifteen years imprisonment.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman emphasized that "an indictment is not evidence of guilt" as "charges are only allegations," reminding that "the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."
This investigation involves collaboration between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hartford Police Department with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard.
The case forms part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative focused on combating illegal immigration and dismantling cartels alongside transnational criminal organizations—leveraging resources from Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).