NEW BRITAIN, CT – Rafael Martinez, 31, is headed to federal prison for nine years after authorities uncovered a large-scale fentanyl operation running out of his New Britain home and a Hartford apartment. U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny handed down the 108-month sentence, followed by four years of supervised release, on Thursday, April 13, 2023.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force began investigating Martinez in 2022, quickly identifying him as a significant player in the local fentanyl trade. Investigators determined Martinez was using an apartment on Sargeant Street in Hartford as a processing and storage location, while conducting much of the distribution from his residence on Hayes Street in New Britain. The operation wasn’t subtle; Martinez attempted to ditch evidence during a raid.
On August 3, 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Martinez’s New Britain home. As they moved in, investigators witnessed Martinez throwing a white powder substance out of a living room window. A subsequent search yielded approximately 3,000 wax folds of fentanyl, loose fentanyl powder, crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia, two handguns, ammunition, and a staggering $28,777 in cash. The tossed powder, roughly 200 grams of fentanyl, was also recovered. The evidence painted a clear picture: Martinez wasn’t just dealing, he was profiting handsomely.
Martinez’s criminal history further complicated matters. He already had prior felony narcotics convictions on his record. As a convicted felon, possessing firearms or ammunition that had crossed state lines is a federal offense. The presence of two handguns at his residence sealed his fate, adding another layer to the charges he faced.
Martinez pleaded guilty on January 25, 2023, to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a felon. He’s been detained since his arrest on August 3, 2022, and will now begin serving his nine-year sentence. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone, working through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program.
The investigation was a collaborative effort, involving the DEA’s Hartford Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Connecticut State Police, and multiple local police departments including Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic. The OCDETF program aims to dismantle major drug trafficking organizations, and this case represents another victory in that ongoing battle.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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