Jose C. Rivera, Narcotics and Firearm Offenses, Connecticut 2026

Manchester Man Sentenced to 66 Months in Federal Prison for Narcotics and Firearm Offenses

A 37-year-old Manchester man has been sentenced to 66 months in federal prison for narcotics trafficking and firearm possession offenses, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced. JOSE C. RIVERA was sentenced on June 18, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2024, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and New Britain Police Department investigated a drug trafficking organization, headed by Wilfredo Ortiz, that was operating out of Supreme Automotive, a car dealership located on Main Street in New Britain.

The investigation included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, physical and electronic surveillance, and several controlled purchases of narcotics, primarily cocaine, from Ortiz and other members of the conspiracy. During the investigation, law enforcement identified Nelson Alejandro-Capo as a supplier of cocaine to Ortiz.

Rivera, 37, of Manchester, was sentenced to 66 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for his role in the conspiracy. He pleaded guilty on November 25, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The investigation also revealed that Rivera had approximately 206 grams of fentanyl, approximately 278 grams of cocaine, drug processing materials, a loaded handgun, and an additional gun magazine, and $13,364 in cash at his Rocky Hill residence when it was searched on November 14, 2024.

Rivera was released on a $150,000 bond and is required to report to prison on July 6. Ortiz, Alejandro-Capo, and O-Farrill-Fernandez, who also pleaded guilty, are currently serving prison terms of 135 months, 144 months, and 120 months, respectively.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth, Reed Durham, and David Nelson. The investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles Police, and the New Britain, Hartford, West Hartford, Waterbury, Naugatuck, East Hartford, Brookfield, Milford, Norwich, Orange, North Haven, Meriden, Berlin, and Manchester Police Departments.

The total amount of cocaine seized during the investigation was approximately six kilograms, with Rivera possessing approximately 278 grams at his residence. The investigation also seized more than 200 grams of fentanyl, approximately 30 grams of heroin, a kilogram press, seven firearms, ammunition, approximately $75,000 in cash, and 26 vehicles.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut thanks the following agencies for their assistance in this investigation: the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles Police, and the New Britain, Hartford, West Hartford, Waterbury, Naugatuck, East Hartford, Brookfield, Milford, Norwich, Orange, North Haven, Meriden, Berlin, and Manchester Police Departments.

Mandatory Facts:

Defendant/Respondent: JOSE C. RIVERA

Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime

City and State: Manchester, Connecticut

Exact Date: June 18, 2026 (sentencing), November 25, 2025 (plea), November 14, 2024 (search)

Sentence or Outcome: 66 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release

Dollar Amounts: $13,364 in cash, $75,000 in cash, $150,000 bond

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/pr/manchester-man-sentenced-more-5-years-federal-prison-narcotics-and-firearm-offenses