Brian Velez, Fentanyl Distribution, Connecticut 2021

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Local Man Sentenced to 57 Months for Fentanyl Distribution

Connecticut authorities announced today that Brian Velez, also known as ‘Whites,’ 33, formerly of Hartford and West Hartford, has been sentenced to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl while released on bond.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Velez was involved in a high-speed chase in Hartford’s South End on November 27, 2018, when he sped away from Hartford Police officers. He parked his car on Newbury Street and ran from the vehicle while carrying a duffel bag. A detective later found the bag, which contained a disassembled Ruger AR 556 semi-automatic rifle. Velez has a prior felony conviction, making him prohibited from possessing firearms.

Velez was detained from the date of his arrest until April 2, 2019, when he was released on bond. However, in January 2020, law enforcement received information that Velez was involved in ongoing criminal activity, including the distribution of narcotics. On January 28, 2020, investigators made a controlled purchase of 20 bags of fentanyl from Velez in Hartford.

On January 29, 2020, Velez pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon, stemming from his arrest in November 2018. He was later arrested on March 12, 2020, on a criminal complaint charging him with distributing fentanyl. On April 12, 2021, he pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl while on release in a pending federal case.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force, and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program aimed at reducing violent crime. PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs.

Brian Velez, also known as ‘Whites,’ 33, formerly of Hartford and West Hartford, was sentenced to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm and distributing fentanyl while released on bond.

The charges against Velez include possession of a firearm by a felon and distribution of fentanyl. The crime occurred in Hartford, Connecticut, on various dates between 2018 and 2020.

Brian Velez has been detained since March 12, 2020, and was sentenced on [current date] in Hartford, Connecticut. He will serve 57 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release.