Ex-CT man involved in an illegal pill trafficking ring involving thousands of pills gets prison

A former Connecticut man who was involved in an illegal pill trafficking ring and sentenced to five years in prison, according to federal authorities.Johnattan Fernandez-Lopez, 37, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, who previously lived in Hartford, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport for his role in a narcotics trafficking organization that “distributed oxycodone pills, counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, and other drugs in the Hartford area,” according to federal authorities.Authorities, citing court documents and statements made in court, said the case stems from a “joint investigation by the DEA Tactical Diversion Squad and the FBI Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force targeting individuals who were distributing oxycodone pills, counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, and other drugs from neighborhood grocery stores in New Britain and Hartford.”Authorities said that, between January 2020 and March 2021, investigators made several controlled purchases of illegal pills at three business, all in Hartford. “Fernandez-Lopez was the primary seller of pills during the evening hours at JZ Tobacco, and possessed a firearm in connection with the offense,” authorities said in a statement.Then, on Dec. 20, 2020, “investigators stopped a vehicle registered to Ray Urena, a co-defendant of Fernandez-Lopez, and found approximately 4,000 illegal pills and $51,000 in cash in a hidden ‘trap’ beneath the front passenger seat of the car.”Urena and others were arrested on May 18, 2021 and when searches were done of an apartment in Hartford that was “used by the drug trafficking organization,” and two vehicles parked outside of the stash house, authorities said what was found included: “approximately two kilograms of fentanyl, approximately 170 grams of heroin, more than 5,000 real and counterfeit oxycodone pills, approximately 2,000 Xanax pills, approximately one kilogram of cocaine, approximately 100 grams of crack, items used to process and package narcotics, two handguns, and ammunition.”Further, a search of Urena’s home in Waterbury revealed approximately $54,000.Fernandez-Lopez has been detained since his arrest and in March he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, authorities said. He faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term.Urena pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing, authorities said.The DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA and the Bristol, East Windsor, Hamden, New Britain, West Haven, Newington, Manchester, Glastonbury, and Watertown police departments.  The FBI Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force includes members of the Hartford, East Hartford, New Britain, and West Hartford police departments, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.

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