Desny Sosa-Hernandez, Cocaine Trafficking, Connecticut 2019

Desny Sosa-Hernandez, 41, of Waterbury, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 12 months and one day for trafficking cocaine in a March 2019 sting operation. U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill handed down the sentence in Bridgeport, followed by three years of supervised release. Sosa-Hernandez, who has been free on a $100,000 bond, must report to prison on September 16.

The case traces back to two controlled drug buys arranged by law enforcement in Bridgeport, targeting Sosa-Hernandez and his co-conspirator, Edgard Martinez. On March 20, 2019, after setting up a deal for 300 grams of cocaine, investigators watched as Martinez drove from his Tolland residence to pick up Sosa-Hernandez at his Waterbury home. The pair never made it to the drop — authorities intercepted them before the transaction could go down.

Inside Martinez’s vehicle, agents seized a brown paper bag containing the full 300 grams of cocaine. A search of Sosa-Hernandez’s house turned up $18,111 in cash stuffed inside shoeboxes — cash prosecutors say was tied to drug proceeds. Meanwhile, a raid on Martinez’s home uncovered a .45 caliber handgun, additional cocaine, and tools used to process and package narcotics.

Sosa-Hernandez pleaded guilty on November 6, 2019, to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, cocaine. He has maintained his silence since, avoiding further legal exposure while awaiting sentencing. His cooperation — or lack thereof — did not shield him from federal time, though the relatively short sentence suggests possible mitigating factors weighed by the court.

His partner in the deal, Edgard Martinez, faced steeper consequences. In addition to the same drug conspiracy charge, Martinez pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. On May 29, 2020, he was sentenced to 29 months in prison — a clear signal that federal prosecutors are treating gun involvement in drug operations as a serious aggravating factor.

The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA), with crucial support from the Milford Police Department. The multi-agency task force also includes the Connecticut State Police and local departments from Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, and Bridgeport. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile prosecuted the case, continuing the DOJ’s aggressive stance on mid-level narcotics networks in central Connecticut.

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