United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

March 6, 2008

MERIDEN MAN SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR DEALING CRACK COCAINE

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANIBAL VAZQUEZ, 29, of Meriden, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Mark R. Kravitz in New Haven to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by six years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute cocaine base ("crack cocaine"). VAZQUEZ pleaded guilty to the charge on September 10, 2007.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, the charge against VAZQUEZ stems from intercepted telephone conversations between him and Milton Roman, who was the target of a wiretap investigation between April and June 2006. During the course of the conspiracy, VAZQUEZ purchased between 20 and 35 grams of crack cocaine from Roman and redistributed it to others in the Meriden area.

On February 12, 2007, VAZQUEZ was incarcerated by the state on unrelated convictions. He has since been transferred into federal custody and currently is serving his federal sentence.

On October 4, 2006, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment charging Roman and 34 others. On May 22, 2007, a different federal grand jury returned a separate Indictment charging VAZQUEZ and four others. On December 13, 2007, Roman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of crack cocaine and five kilograms or more of powder cocaine. He awaits sentencing and faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

This investigation was a collaborative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Meriden Police Department. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert M. Spector and S. Dave Vatti.