A federal grand jury in New Haven, Connecticut, returned an indictment charging brothers Kyle Petersen, 38, of Newington, and Erik Petersen, also known as "Peach," 43, of New Britain, with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances. The indictment alleges that the brothers trafficked large quantities of synthetic opioids, fentanyl-laced pills, and marijuana.
The investigation, led by the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, began in May 2023 after members discovered suspicious packages being delivered to Kyle Petersen’s Newington residence. At the time, Petersen was on federal supervised release following a 2017 conviction for trafficking fentanyl and prescription pills. During the investigation, authorities seized over 400 grams of pills containing Protonitazene, a synthetic opioid typically more potent than fentanyl, as well as multiple pounds of marijuana.
According to court documents, Kyle Petersen received approximately 34 packages containing Protonitazene from the same source in Michigan and 46 packages from California and Oregon suspected to contain marijuana. Investigators also made controlled purchases of counterfeit Percocet pills containing fentanyl from Erik Petersen. The duo was arrested on federal criminal complaints on April 3, 2024, and a search of Kyle Petersen’s residence revealed a kilogram of counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, Xanax pills, 40 grams of cocaine, and $76,650 in cash.
If convicted of the charge in the indictment, Kyle Petersen faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, while Erik Petersen faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of the cash seized from Kyle Petersen’s apartment, an additional $57,530 in cash seized from a bank account, and Kyle Petersen’s 2014 Porsche Cayenne.
The indictment alleges that Kyle Petersen faces additional penalties if he is found to have violated the conditions of his supervised release. U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe and is being investigated by the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, composed of personnel from the DEA and local police departments. The investigation is ongoing, and the public is urged to contact the authorities with any information regarding the case.
U.S. Attorney Avery emphasized the importance of combating narcotic trafficking in Connecticut and the efforts of the DEA and local law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle these operations. The indictment serves as a warning to those involved in narcotic trafficking that their actions will be met with severe consequences.
The defendants are expected to appear in Hartford federal court for further proceedings. A trial date has not been set.
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Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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