United States Drug Enforcement Administration

NOV 09 - HARTFORD, Conn. - Michael J. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division and Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Orlando Tirado, 30, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from a Drug Enforcement Administration Hartford Task Force investigation into a drug trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of heroin in the Hartford area.  On June 4, 2014, investigators conducted a motor vehicle stop of Tirado and, during a consent search of his car, discovered $5200 in cash.  On November 27, 2014, Tirado attempted to flee from Hartford Police officers who were investigating a domestic assault.  During the foot chase, investigators observed Tirado throwing six brick-sized packages, which were seized and found to contain a total of 3,003 bags of heroin.  Tirado was arrested at that time and charged with state narcotics offenses.

In May 2015, while he was on pre-trial release in his state case, court-authorized wiretaps revealed that Tirado and several associates were working together to sell narcotics.  On May 13, 2015, one of Tirado’s associates traveled from Hartford to New York City where law enforcement officers conducted a motor vehicle stop of the car and seized approximately $125,000 in cash.  Tirado has been detained since his arrest on June 4, 2015.  On June 2, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.  Tirado’s criminal history includes felony convictions for narcotics trafficking offenses and assault and battery on a police officer.  Six other individuals were charged as a result of this investigation.

This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force, which includes participants from the Bristol, East Hartford, Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Wethersfield and Willimantic Police Departments, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police.