Bebe Cancel, the 31-year-old cocaine kingpin of Waterbury, has been sentenced to over three years in federal prison for his role in supplying two major drug trafficking organizations. United States Attorney David X. Sullivan announced that Carmelo Cancel, also known as ‘Bebe,’ was handed a 37-month sentence by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford.
The investigation, spearheaded by the FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force, revealed Cancel supplied cocaine to both organizations led by Angel Quiros (‘Papa John’) and Daniel Diaz-Rivera. The two groups operated on different streets but collaborated to distribute drugs throughout the city.
“Cancel’s arrest followed an extensive investigation involving wiretaps, surveillance, and controlled buys,” said Sullivan. “This sentencing sends a clear message that distributing illegal drugs will not be tolerated.”
On November 29, 2023, Cancel was arrested along with 14 others, including Quiros and Diaz-Rivera. During the raids, authorities seized nearly 700 grams of crack cocaine, over 900 vials of crack, 200 grams of fentanyl, and more than $39,000 in cash. Two stolen firearms were also recovered.
Cancel pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine on April 23, 2025. He was released on a $100,000 bond but is now required to report to prison on September 17.
Quiros and Diaz-Rivera have also pleaded guilty to related charges. Quiros awaits his sentence, while Diaz-Rivera received 210 months in prison. The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Connecticut State Police, and several local police departments.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Shan Patel are prosecuting this case through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Sullivan expressed gratitude to the Waterbury State Attorney’s Office for their cooperation in the investigation and prosecution.
RELATED: Waterbury Kingpin Diaz-Rivera Gets 17+ Years
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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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