United States Drug Enforcement Administration

WATERBURY, Conn - Leonard C Boyle, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DANIEL JIMENEZ DE LA CRUZ, 36, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment for distributing fentanyl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Jimenez was arrested on September 20, 2018, after Drug Enforcement Administration special agents executed a search warrant at his Waterbury residence.  Outside of Jimenez’s bedroom window, agents found a trash bag that contained approximately 63 grams of fentanyl, a loaded Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver, several rounds of ammunition, and items used to process and package narcotics for street sale.  Investigators also found $10,185 in cash in Jimenez’s bedroom.

Jimenez, who has been detained since his arrest, previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

Jimenez faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Amanda S. Oakes.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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