A Waterbury man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for drug distribution and firearm offenses. Elvin Santos, 26, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford, with an additional four years of supervised release.
According to information presented in court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office took over three separate state cases involving Santos for federal prosecution. On March 21, 2021, Waterbury Police observed Santos and others conducting suspected hand-to-hand drug transactions from a car driven by Santos. After apprehending Santos and two others, police found three loaded handguns, extra ammunition, a digital scale, and quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine in the vehicle.
In June 2021, authorities obtained a search warrant based on continued narcotics activity by Santos. On July 8 of that year, officers stopped Santos as he left his residence and searched a satchel he was carrying. They discovered about 50 grams of crack cocaine, 280 baggies of fentanyl, more than 120 narcotic pills, a digital scale, a .40 caliber bullet, and other items. Searches of his car and home revealed additional drugs—including over a kilogram of marijuana—drug packaging materials, gun magazines, empty firearms boxes, and more than $10,000 in cash.
Police continued their investigation into 2022. In May that year they obtained another search warrant for Santos based on ongoing trafficking activity. When arrested on June 14, police found more than 900 baggies of fentanyl as well as quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and a digital scale in his possession. A search at his residence led to the discovery of a .38 caliber revolver and additional drugs; another related location yielded over 5,500 baggies of fentanyl.
Santos has been detained since his arrest on June 14, 2022. He pleaded guilty on August 3, 2023 to one count each of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and other controlled substances as well as possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The investigation involved the Waterbury Police Department working alongside the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth is prosecuting the case.
“This matter was investigated by the Waterbury Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” according to David X. Sullivan’s office.
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