BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT (BNO NEWS) – A Bridgeport, Connecticut man on Friday was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for dealing crack cocaine, prosecutors said.

Victor Roberson, 38, was sentenced to 90 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his participation in a Bridgeport-based narcotics-trafficking ring.

The investigation stems from “Operation G-Force,” a joint law enforcement investigation into Bridgeport-area narcotics trafficking headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force. The year-long investigation, which led to the federal prosecution of 46 individuals, included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin, and physical surveillance.

According to court documents, from January 2002 to February 2009, George Sanchez headed a large-scale cocaine and crack cocaine distribution ring operated in Bridgeport. Using the U.S. Mail and other shipping services, Sanchez had, on average, two kilograms of cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico to various residences in Bridgeport each week. The cocaine was wrapped and secreted inside electronic devices such as VCRs, clothing, and other items.

Once the packages were received in Bridgeport, Sanchez and his associates would process some of the cocaine into crack cocaine, and package the cocaine and crack cocaine for distribution to other narcotics traffickers in the Bridgeport area. During this period, Roberson was actively involved in distributing narcotics with Sanchez and his associates.

This matter was investigated by members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, which is composed of federal agents and state and local officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force, and the Bridgeport, Stamford, Stratford, Fairfield, Trumbull and Norwalk Police Departments.

BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT (BNO NEWS) – Bridgeport, Connecticut resident Claude Lee, also known as “Claude Blaube”, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for maintaining a drug involved premises, Attorney Nora Dannehy announced on Friday.

Lee, a Jamaican citizen, will also have three years of supervised released after his sentence is completed.

In August 2006, during the execution of a search warrant on Lee’s Hewitt Court property, law agents found 14 large marijuana plants, several 50-gallon drums filled with water and connected to hoses, commercial grade fans, high-intensity light bulbs and electrical wires that powered the operation.

Marijuana plants wasn’t the only thing officers found; cocaine, heroin and $6,567 were recovered at the scene too. Lee also pleaded guilty to charges related to theft of electricity and will pay $10,000 in restitution.

Lee faces deportation proceedings after he completes his federal prison term.

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT (BNO NEWS) – A New Haven, Connecticut man on Friday pled guilty to federal PCP distribution charge, prosecutors said.

Darryl Lewis, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 100 grams or more of phencyclidine, also known as “PCP.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, Lewis distributed between 400 and 700 grams of liquid PCP. Lewis faces a maximum term of incarceration of 40 years and a fine of up to $2 million.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Hartford Police Department, the New Haven Police Department, the Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Public Safety Toxicology/Controlled Substances Laboratory.

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT (BNO NEWS) – A former Connecticut bank employee, her husband, and ex-husband on Thursday were charged with defrauding bank of nearly $6.2 million.

Susan A. Curtis, 48, her husband Gary J. Stocking, 43, and Curtis’ former husband Kevin W. Caffrey, 45, are charged with one count of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

The indictment alleges that Curtis was employed in the Property Services Division of Webster Bank with responsibilities that included negotiating and managing bank property leases where Webster Bank was a landlord or tenant.

The indictment further alleges that Curtis, Stocking, and Caffery established two companies called New House, LLC and Equity Realty, LLC, which Curtis falsely represented to Webster Bank’s Vendor Management Department were landlords, an exempted category for due diligence and annual review.

As part of the alleged scheme, Curtis submitted paperwork to the bank’s Account Payable Department in which she falsely represented that New House and Equity Realty were due a fee in approximately 109 real estate related transactions involving 67 properties. As a result, Webster Bank made payments of approximately $5.04 million to New House and Equity Realty.

In addition, the indictment alleges that Curtis caused a landlord, who was a leaser of property leased to Webster Bank, to send approximately $703,620 in lease improvement payments directly to Curtis.

The indictment also alleges that Curtis falsely represented to other landlords or their counsel, who were dealing with Webster Bank, that a $450,000 check for property improvements should be paid directly to Equity Realty.

If convicted, each of the defendants faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on each count.

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT (BNO NEWS) – The founder of a boys-school in Cap-Haitien, Haiti on Thursday was charged with sexually abusing several young boys, prosecutors said.

Douglas Perlitz, 39, was charged with nine counts of traveling outside the United States with the intent to engage in sexual conduct with persons under the age of 18, and 10 counts of engaging in sexual conduct in foreign places with persons under the age of 18. The alleged activity occurred between 1998 and 2008.

Perlitz has been detained since his arrest in September 2009.

If convicted, Perlitz faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 37 years and a fine of up to $250,000, on each count of the Indictment.

This is an ongoing investigation and prosecutors encouraged anyone with information that may be relevant to call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Connecticut (ICE). The matter is being investigated by ICE in New Haven, Connecticut.

Prosecutes acknowledged the critical assistance provided by the Haitian National Police Department, the Brigade of Protection of Minors, and the assistance of individuals who have come forward to provide information to law enforcement.

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT (BNO NEWS) – A Hartford, Connecticut man on Friday was sentenced to federal prison for his participation in a narcotics trafficking ring, prosecutors said.

Reynaldo “Pichy” Laureano, 36, was sentenced to 97 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. In November 2009, Laureano pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin.

This matter stems from “Operation Solid Gold,” a joint law enforcement investigation headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force. The year-long investigation included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of cocaine and heroin, and physical surveillance.

As a result of the investigation, 56 individuals were charged with various offenses related to the distribution of cocaine and heroin in and around Hartford.

During an approximately two-month period in which investigators intercepted calls over Laureano’s phone, he was continually involved in drug-related communications throughout the day. On the calls, Laureano discussed with his associates the distribution of cocaine and heroin, their ongoing concern regarding the police, and their use, or threatened use, of violence against competitors.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, the Statewide Cooperative Crime Control Task Force of the Connecticut State Police and the Hartford Police Department, with assistance from the Statewide Organized Crime Investigative Task Force of the Connecticut State Police, Connecticut State Police, Troop H, and the Connecticut Department of Correction.

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT (BNO NEWS) – A Waterbury, Connecticut resident on Wednesday was sentenced for his role in a multimillion dollar illegal money remitting scheme.

Marcio Mansur, 53, was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, additionally, Mansur was also ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $5,000. In October 2008, Mansur pled guilty to one count of operating an illegal money remitting business.

A money transmitting business is any person or business that receives money from a customer and then, for a fee paid by the customer, transmits that money to a recipient in a place that the customer designates, usually a foreign government.

From Mach 2006 to March 2008, Mansur operated Danbury-based Bem Brasil, a business that, among other things, collected funds for remission to Brazil on behalf of Brazilian immigrants in Connecticut. Mansur then paid RM Insurance Services LLC of Danbury, an insurance company that also catered to the Brazilian immigrant community, to wire transfer the funds he had collected at Bem Brasil and other locations.

In 2006 and 2007, Mansur had RM Insurance and another unauthorized money remitting business wire more than $18 million.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service.

EAST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT (BNO NEWS) – Connecticut tax preparer plead guilty Thursday for one count of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return, which resulted in over $500,000 in improper refunds to her customers.

Maria Cintron, 45, according to court documents and statements made in court, between 2005 and 2009, Cintron and employees of her tax preparation business prepared and filed returns for clients that improperly included deductions for nonexistent or inflated expenses, such as uniform costs and inflated charitable contributions. She and her employees also prepared false returns claiming improper entitlement to Earned Income Tax Credits.

During these years, Cintron was the principle owner and operator of a tax preparation business known as PR Family LLC, federal law enforcement officials conducted a search at the business and Cintron’s residence on April 15, 2009.

Internal Revenue Service audits revealed that, between 2005 and 2007, Cintron and her employees assisted in the preparation of approximately 183 false tax returns that resulted in an overpayment of improper funds to her customers to a grand total of approximately $505,339 in income taxes.

Citron faces a maximum term of incarceration of three years and a fine of up to $100,000, for which she has placed $125,000 in an escrow account to satisfy the judgment.

Cintron has agreed to the entry of a permanent injunction that will bar her from preparing tax returns in the future. She must also pay to the Internal Revenue Service a sum to be determined as the result of her fraudulently filing her own and others’ personal income tax returns.

This investigation was organized and investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.

BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT (BNO NEWS) – A Connecticut man pleaded guilty Friday in a federal court for the possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon and one count of distribution of heroine.

George Morales, 47, was taken into custody on April 2, 2009 after serving a state arrest warrant at Morales’ residence after he was seen exiting a bathroom carrying a plastic bag, which he then threw in the closet. After he was taken into custody, officials seized seventy blue folds of heroin from his closet. After being given a key to a safe in the closet by Morales, officials found a .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol with a destroyed serial number, a magazine containing five rounds of .380 caliber ammunition, and $5,775 in cash. Inside the residence, officers also found ten blue folds of heroin in the toilet, and twenty blue folds of heroin and a baggy that contained marijuana in the kitchen cabinet.

A Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation, “Operation Young Gunz,” was conducted by members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Bridgeport Police Department, Drug Enforcement Agency, and U.S. Marshals Service. The investigation, which included the purchase of a multitude of firearms, heroin, and crack cocaine, targeted young repeat offenders who are alleged to have sold and conspired to sell firearms for profit. Further analysis of the firearms purchased during this investigation revealed that several of the firearms were reported stolen and/or were used in other crimes.

Prior to April 2009, Morales sustained several felony convictions in Connecticut Superior Court; it’s a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Morales faces a maximum penalty of ten years and a fine of up to $250,000 on the gun charge, and a maximum penalty of 20 years as well as a fine of $1 million on the heroin distribution charge.

The Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession of guns, ammunition and body armor, and improving the safety of residents of Connecticut cities.

STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT (BNO NEWS) — A convicted felon from Stamford, Connecticut has been sentenced to four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Deno Dawes, 20, of Stamford was sentenced after he pled guilty in October to possession of a L9MM firearm which was seized from his car during a traffic stop on March 13, 2009. U.S. District Judge Droney sentenced him to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

In March 2009, Dawes was stopped by Stamford police who recovered a Lorcin Model L9MM firearm from his car. Dawes initially fled the scene, but a subsequent investigation revealed that the firearm was in fact possessed by Dawes.

Dawes was earlier, on April 10, 2007, convicted in the Connecticut Superior Court of a second degree robbery, which is a felony. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Dawes has been detained since his arrest nearly a year ago, on March 19, 2009.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Stamford Police Department pursuant to the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra S. Glover.

The Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession of guns, and improving the safety of residents of Connecticut’s cities. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.