John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Pedro Santos, 47, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 66 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin and cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from a joint investigation headed by the DEA New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury and Naugatuck Police Departments into a heroin and cocaine trafficking operation headed by Keith Jordan of Waterbury. The investigation, which included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Jordan was receiving large quantities of heroin from various suppliers, including Santos, and selling to drug to other distributors and street-level customers. Jordan also purchased and distributed cocaine.
In November and December 2018, investigators intercepted hundreds of calls on Santos’ phone that were pertinent to drug trafficking. The intercepts revealed that Santos was receiving narcotics from co-conspirators and supplying heroin and cocaine to a network of street-level drug distributors.
On March 13, 2019, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Santos, Jordan and 27 other individuals with various offenses related to the distribution of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine.
Several of Santos’ codefendants were arrested on March 20, 2019. In association with the arrests, investigators seized approximately 3,000 bags of heroin, 400 grams of cocaine, 350 grams of fentanyl/heroin mixed, 400 grams of heroin, 10 grams of crack, 20 pounds of marijuana, fentanyl patches, a one-kilogram press, four handguns, approximately $120,000 in cash and four vehicles.
Santos evaded capture until August 8, 2019, when he was apprehended in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He has been detained since his arrest.
On January 23, 2020, Santos pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 100 grams or more of heroin.
Jordan pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force, Waterbury Police Department and Naugatuck Police Department, with the critical assistance of the U.S. Secret Service, New York Field Office. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Dave Vatti and Nathaniel J. Gentile.
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