United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Michael J. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England and Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Alfred Catino, also known as “Alphonse Catino,” “Frank Ross,” “Frank Russo,” “Anthony Vitacco,” “Chico,” “the Old Man” and “Herbie,” 75, of Danbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics.

This matter stems from a year-long investigation headed by the DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Norwalk Police Department into the distribution of oxycodone, cocaine and marijuana in Fairfield County.  A total of 16 individuals were charged as a result of the investigation, which revealed that Catino and Demetrios “Jimmy” Papadakos were long-time associates who headed the narcotics trafficking ring.
 
Catino has been detained since arrest on May 8, 2012.  On June 24, 2014, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, oxycodone and marijuana.  Catino’s extensive criminal history includes multiple federal convictions for narcotics trafficking.  He received his first federal conviction in 1967 for selling 115 grams of heroin to an undercover DEA agent.  He was most recently convicted in 1998 and received a sentence of 140 months of imprisonment.  Papadakos, of Danbury, pleaded guilty and, on December 17, 2014, was sentenced to 121 months of imprisonment.

This matter was investigated by the DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Norwalk Police Department, with assistance provided by the Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport, Stamford, Stratford and Westport Police Departments.