A federal jury in New Haven has found Luis Perez, a 46-year-old man from Waterbury, guilty of a firearm offense linked to a gun trafficking operation. This announcement came from Marc H. Silverman, the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
The investigation, conducted by the FBI Waterbury Safe Streets Task Force, revealed that from May 2023, there were controlled purchases from Perez, which included nine firearms and a quantity of cocaine. Further evidence showed that Perez was involved in acquiring multiple firearms through straw purchasers from licensed dealers in Kansas. These firearms were then mailed to a stash location in Hartford managed by Perez’s associate, Algelly Diaz. Perez and Diaz are both convicted felons who are legally prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms.
Perez's criminal activities spanned from August 2020 to May 2023, during which a co-conspirator purchased at least 73 firearms from a dealer in Deerfield, Kansas. Upon his arrest on May 19, 2023, searches in multiple states revealed firearms, ammunition, illegal drugs, and cash connected to Perez's operations.
The jury's judgment declared Perez guilty of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He had already pleaded guilty to nine other charges, including firearms trafficking and drug distribution offenses. Perez is incarcerated and awaits sentencing, with potential imprisonment ranging from a minimum of 10 years to life.
Algelly Diaz pleaded guilty and received a 48-month prison sentence on February 4, 2025. Three other individuals associated with the investigation have also pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing.
The case was a joint effort by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and various other law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Christopher J. Lembo prosecuted the case under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman expressed gratitude for the support from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Kansas and California.