Alexander Calderon Gets 46 Months for Heroin, Crack Trafficking

Alexander Calderon, 23, of Thomaston, is headed to federal prison for 46 months after admitting his role in a violent drug operation tied to the ‘Addicted to Money’ street gang. U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny handed down the sentence in Hartford, followed by three years of supervised release, marking another blow to the ATM network that plagued Waterbury with heroin and crack distribution.

Calderon pleaded guilty on January 15, 2019, to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as crack. The charge stems from a sweeping federal investigation launched in fall 2017 by the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police Department’s Gang Task Force, targeting suspected members of the ATM crew.

Court records and trial statements reveal Calderon wasn’t a minor player—he was a consistent supplier, moving drugs to customers across the city. Wiretaps, physical surveillance, and controlled buys laid bare the operation’s mechanics, showing how Calderon and others fed addiction while building a dangerous criminal enterprise rooted in violence and secrecy.

The probe led to federal charges against Calderon and 10 others, exposing the depth of ATM’s reach in central Connecticut. Authorities described the gang as both organized and ruthless, using coded language and street enforcers to protect their trade. Calderon has been in custody since his arrest on July 17, 2018, with no room for leniency given the ongoing toll of the opioid and crack epidemics.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick F. Caruso and Natasha M. Freismuth prosecuted the case, with critical support from Cynthia Serafini and Don Therkildsen of the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office. Their work stitched together evidence from multiple agencies, reinforcing the federal-state partnership aimed at dismantling entrenched street networks.

John H. Durham, then U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, confirmed the outcome as a necessary strike against organized drug trafficking. For Calderon, the sentence closes a chapter of street crime—but for Waterbury, the fight against gangs like ATM remains far from over.