United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

JURY CONVICTS FORMER NEW YORK MAN OF CONSPIRACY IN MULTI-KILOGRAM COCAINE CASE

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced today that a federal jury sitting in Hartford found JESUS CONTRERAS, age 58, formerly of Bronx, New York, guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The jury returned its verdict on Monday, June 21, after deliberating for less than two hours. The trial lasted five days.

On June 18, 2003, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment charging CONTRERAS with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine arising out of an investigation that led to the seizure of more than 70 kilograms of cocaine in Norwalk, Connecticut on October 17, 2001. Five other persons were arrested as part of this investigation and all have been convicted on federal charges.

"We are pleased with the jury's verdict," U.S. Attorney O'Connor stated. "This is yet another example of the success of the cooperative effort between federal and local law enforcement agencies to disrupt the flow of narcotics into Norwalk and all of Connecticut's communities."

CONTRERAS faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1,000,000 when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Christopher F. Droney on September 9, 2004.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Norwalk Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James K. Filan, Jr. and Robert M. Appleton.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov