United States Drug Enforcement Administration

FARMINGTON, Conn. - Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DENIS MURTIC, 38, of Farmington, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 78 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for fentanyl and cocaine trafficking offenses.  Judge Williams also ordered Murtic to pay a $25,000 fine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, the DEA’s Hartford Task Force launched an investigation of Murtic for trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine.  On September 3, 2020, a court-authorized search of an apartment on Grafton Street in Hartford apartment connected to Murtic revealed thousands of wax folds of fentanyl, more than 700 grams of cocaine, and items used to process and package narcotics for distribution.

On October 18, 2021, investigators made a controlled purchase of approximately 50 grams of fentanyl from Murtic and Alexander Rodriguez at a parking lot in East Hartford.  After the transaction, investigators observed Murtic and Rodriguez travel to an apartment on Wakefield Circle in East Hartford.  On October 26, 2021, Murtic, Rodriguez, and Efrain Rosario were arrested at the apartment, which was being used as a narcotics processing and packaging mill.  A search of the apartment revealed more than 40,000 glassine bags and wax folds of fentanyl, approximately 1.7 kilograms of loose fentanyl, two compressed bricks of cocaine weighing a total of approximately 1.5 kilograms, and numerous narcotics processing and packaging items, including a kilogram press.

A related search of Murtic’s business resulted in the seizure of a .22 caliber handgun and ammunition.  Analysis of Murtic’s phone revealed numerous texts and images involving Murtic’s illegal acquisition of other firearms.

Murtic has been detained since his arrest.  On January 20, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine.

Rodriguez, of East Windsor, and Rosario, of Hartford, have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

The DEA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.