Southeastern Connecticut Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison
NEW LONDON, Conn. - Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CARLOS ANTONIO CRESPO-FEBUS, 43, of New London, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 188 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking large quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico through the U.S. Mail for distribution in Connecticut and elsewhere.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2021, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a cocaine trafficking operation headed by Crespo-Febus. The investigation revealed that Crespo-Febus was coordinating the shipment of parcels, each typically containing two kilograms of cocaine, from U.S. Post Offices in Puerto Rico to various “drop addresses” in New London County. Crespo-Febus paid at least three individuals to receive parcels of cocaine at their homes, and at least two others to serve as “runners” who retrieved parcels from the drop addresses and delivered them to Crespo-Febus. The runners were paid $500 for each parcel they delivered.
Investigators intercepted and seized approximately 16 kilograms of cocaine that were mailed from Puerto Rico to Connecticut and identified dozens of other suspicious parcels that likely contained kilogram quantities of cocaine. Crespo-Febus has admitted that he trafficked at least 50 kilograms of cocaine.
Crespo-Febus has been detained since his arrest on September 20, 2021. On October 21, 2022, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Crespo-Febus’ criminal history includes a conviction in Puerto Rico for murder in the second degree, for which he was incarcerated for 11 years and four months, and a federal conviction in 2013 for unlawful possession of a firearm, for which he was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the New London and Town of Groton Police Departments. The Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, and Town of Groton Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Konstantin Lantsman.
