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 FBI, have announced the arrest of Rafael Orlando Garcia, a 34-year-old from Hartford. Garcia has been charged with narcotics distribution offenses following his arrest yesterday.
Garcia was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford, where he was ordered to be detained. According to court documents and statements, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force identified Garcia as a significant narcotics trafficker in the Hartford area. He has a prior federal conviction. Between February and April 2025, investigators conducted several controlled purchases of fentanyl and cocaine from Garcia.
The complaint accuses Garcia of possession with the intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment. Additionally, he is charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense with a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 40 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman emphasized, "a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."
The investigation is being undertaken by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard. The case is part of Operation Take Back America, which aims to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime. The operation harnesses resources from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.