Friday, March 16, 2018

Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl in Norwich



John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ELIAS ESCARRAMAN 35, formerly of Springfield and Worcester, Massachusetts, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that ESCARRAMAN was traveling from Massachusetts to the Norwich, Connecticut, area approximately twice a week to distribute what he called “china white,” a mixture of heroin and fentanyl.  In April and May, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of “china white” from ESCARRAMAN, including on May 4, 2017, when investigators purchased 1,000 bags of the drug for $2,500.  Investigators then arranged to purchase 2,000 bags of “china white” from ESCARRAMAN in exchange for $5,000.  On May 15, ESCARRAMAN was arrested after he arrived at the meeting location in Norwich in possession of approximately 2,000 bags of the drug.

Lab analysis determined that ESCARRAMAN possessed and distributed more than 66 grams of fentanyl during the investigation.

ESCARRAMAN has been detained since his arrest.  On November 15, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

As part of the sentence, Judge Bryant ordered ESCARRAMAN to forfeit a 2008 Mercedes-Benz ML350 that ESCARRAMAN drove to the meet location on May 15 and was seized at the time of his arrest.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Norwich Police Department and the Springfield PoliceDepartment.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dave Vatti.

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