David Gil-Grande, Cocaine Trafficking, USA 2024

David Gil-Grande, a 29-year-old Manchester resident, has been handed a 70-month federal prison sentence for his role in a massive cocaine trafficking operation. United States Attorney Deirdre M. Daly announced the stiff penalty imposed by Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Gil-Grande was part of an organization distributing crack and powder cocaine in Hartford’s North End. He allegedly received shipments from Puerto Rico, concealed in sealed coffee cans, and supplied the drugs to associates who converted them into crack cocaine for distribution on Barbour Street in Hartford.

But Gil-Grande’s schemes didn’t stop there. He also funneled cash earned from his criminal activities back to Puerto Rico, using resealed coffee cans and driving large sums of money to New York City for further shipment. Law enforcement authorities apprehended him on January 6, 2016, when he was stopped en route to New York, with approximately $92,000 discovered in his vehicle.

The investigation that led to Gil-Grande’s downfall was a joint effort by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. Twenty individuals have been charged as a result of this extensive probe. Gil-Grande has remained in custody since his arrest on January 21, 2016.

Plea agreements were reached when Gil-Grande admitted to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and Connecticut Department of Correction. Assistance was also provided by the Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Squad and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming is handling the prosecution of this drug trafficking case, ensuring that justice is served for the community affected by Gil-Grande’s activities.