Darien Man Arrested In Norwalk-Area Drug Trafficking Ring: Feds

DARIEN, CT — A Darien man was one of six people arrested on April 29 in connection with a local drug trafficking ring, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of CT.

The following inividuals were charged with federal offenses, according to Vanessa Roberts Avery, U.S. Attorney for the District of CT:

• Jose Orjuela, aka "Hov," 35, of Norwalk
• Kimberly Delacruz, aka "K," 29, of Norwalk
• Jelson Perez, aka "Spank," 41, of Norwalk
• Christopher Pomponi, 58, of Darien
• Darrell Sanders, aka "Deezo," 54, of Norwalk
• Alejandro Martin De Los Santos, aka "Marcelino Lopez," 45, of Norwalk

The six were arrested on federal criminal complaints charging each with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances; possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; and use of a telephone to facilitate a narcotics trafficking felony, Avery said in a news release.

Pomponi is also charged with using or maintaining a drug-involved premises, Avery added, noting that several additional individuals were arrested on related state charges.

The Drug Enforcement Administration's Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA) and the Norwalk Police Department identified Orjuela as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of Fentanyl, heroin and cocaine in the Norwalk area, Avery said, citing court documents and statements made in court.

A subsequent investigation, which has included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of drugs, found that Orjuela and others transported kilogram-quantities of cocaine from Texas and Ohio, and kilogram-quantities of fentanyl and heroin from New York City, Avery said.

These drugs were distributed in and around Norwalk through a network of individuals, including Perez, Pomponi and Sanders, Avery said.

"At times, De Los Santos supplied the Orjuela organization with narcotics. Orjuela and his girlfriend, Delacruz, stored narcotics and drug proceeds at their Marlin Drive residence in Norwalk, and also used Pomponi’s Pine Brook Lane residence in Darien to store narcotics and drug proceeds, convert cocaine into crack cocaine, and package narcotics for street sale," Avery said.

Along with the arrests, Avery said investigators executed multiple federal search warrants and seized approximately 15,000 dose bags of suspected fentanyl, approximately 350 grams of raw heroin, quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine, a 9 mm handgun and ammunition and a 2021 Ford F-150.

The Darien Police Department on April 29 announced a "multi-agency operation" and the execution of search and arrest warrants at Pomponi's home.

Orjuela, Perez, Pomponi, Sanders, and De Los Santos are detained, and Delacruz is released on bond, Avery said.

Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.