United States Drug Enforcement Administration

HARTFORD, CT. - Steven W. Derr, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England and David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Tomas Ocasio, 50, of Park Street, Hartford, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Christopher F. Droney in Hartford to 41 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release for his involvement in a Hartford-area heroin trafficking ring.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2010, members of the Hartford Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force began investigating a heroin trafficking organization that was operating primarily out of an apartment located at 143 Grandview Terrace in Hartford. In the early morning hours of October 14, 2010, DEA Task Force officers searched the apartment and seized approximately 5.6 kilograms of heroin and other materials used in the processing and packaging of heroin for street sale. On that date, Task Force officers arrested seven individuals, including Ocasio.

One kilogram of heroin can produce approximately 50,000 single-dosage-unit bags of heroin. One of Ocasio’s responsibilities as member of the organization was to “test” the quality of the heroin that was delivered.

On April 20, 2011, Ocasio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin. He has been detained since his arrest.

This matter is being investigated by a Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force composed of agents and officers from the DEA and the Bristol, Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Newington and Wethersfield Police Departments.