United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS CEPEDA, also known as “Doogie,” 35, of Bridgeport, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and the Connecticut State Police determined that a drug trafficking organization headed by Landdy Rodriguez, also known as “Oso,” was obtaining kilogram-quantities of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico.  In the summer of 2021, investigators also intercepted phone calls during which Reinaldo Colon Oliveras, while incarcerated in a federal prison in Atlanta and using a smuggled cell phone, arranging the shipment of cocaine to Rodriguez and his associate, Thomas Marra.  Rodriguez and Marra further distributed the drug to a network of associates.

During the investigation, Rodriguez also directed his cousin, Jaime Rodriguez, to deliver to him five kilograms of cocaine from Florida.  Landdy Rodriguez was also supplied with cocaine from Salvador Crespo, who ran an underground bar in Bridgeport.

The investigation further revealed that Landdy Rodriguez facilitated multiple transactions of fentanyl.

On August 27, 2021, Cepeda purchased 400 grams of cocaine from Landdy Rodriguez and Crespo.

Cepeda was arrested on October 26, 2021.  A search of Cepeda’s residence on that date revealed approximately 210 grams of cocaine and 84 grams of crack cocaine.

Cepeda has been detained since his arrest.  On December 15, 2022, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.

Landdy Rodriguez, Colon, Marra, Jaime Rodriguez, and Crespo pleaded guilty to related charges and have been sentenced.

This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and the Connecticut State Police, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Waterbury Police Department.  The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Danbury, Milford, Norwalk, Stamford and Stratford Police Departments.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth L. Gresham, John T. Pierpont, Jr., and Brendan J. Keefe 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.