Armando Quinones, a 40-year-old member of the Los Solidos street gang, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl in Hartford, Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force began investigating Ricardo Reyes, also known as “Rick the Ruler,” a member of the Los Solidos street gang who was distributing fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack in the area of Park Street and Hungerford Street in Hartford.
During the investigation, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases of narcotics from Reyes. Court-authorized wiretaps confirmed that Reyes was distributing narcotics to numerous customers, and identified individuals who supplied drugs to Reyes and associates, including Quinones, who sold drugs on his behalf. Intercepted communications also revealed Reyes was acquiring and trafficking firearms.
Quinones has a criminal history that spans more than 20 years, including multiple convictions in Connecticut and New Jersey.
Quinones has been detained since his arrest on June 20, 2019. On June 27, 2019, a grand jury in Hartford returned a 32-count indictment charging Reyes, Quinones, and 13 associates with various narcotics trafficking and firearm possession offenses.
On April 19, 2021, Quinones pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and Connecticut Department of Correction. The Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Defendant information: Name – Armando Quinones; Title – Member of Los Solidos street gang; Charges – Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl; Location – Hartford, Connecticut; Date – June 20, 2019 (arrest); Sentence – 37 months in federal prison.
Additional information: On February 11, 2021, Ricardo Reyes, a member of the Los Solidos street gang, was sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment for his role in the narcotics trafficking operation.
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Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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