Farmington Man Pleads Guilty For Role In Drug Operation: Authorities

WETHERSFIELD/FARMINGTON, CT — An ex-Wethersfield resident now living in Farmington pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court in Hartford for trying to sell multiple types of illegal narcotics.

According to federal and local officials, Shane J. Sawicki, 28, formerly of Wethersfield, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine.

Vanessa Roberts Avery, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut; Brian D. Boyle, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; Ketty Larco-Ward, inspector in charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Wethersfield Police Chief Rafael Medina made the announcement Thursday.

According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed Sawicki was connected to a drug trafficking organization in Illinois that was coordinating the sale and shipment of Xanax and crystal methamphetamine from California, according to authorities.

Officials said he was receiving mailed packages containing Farmapram, which is a Mexican brand of alprazolam (Xanax).

In April 2022, investigators conducted a court-ed search of authoriza package that was mailed from California to Sawicki’s Wethersfield address, according to law enforcement officials.

The package contained two bottles containing a total of 180 Farmapram pills.

Investigators also identified four similar parcels that had been mailed to Sawicki’s address prior to April 2022.

On April 29, 2022, investigators said they conducted a court-authorized search of Sawicki’s apartment and seized thousands counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, a small quantity of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, a distribution quantity of cocaine, numerous other bags and containers of assorted pills of different colors and shapes, a container of MDMA, and three bottles of Farmapram pills.

A subsequent search of Sawicki’s cell phone revealed photographs of large quantities of pills, a large amount of U.S. cash and numerous text message conversations regarding the sale of illicit substances, law enforcers said.

Sawicki was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 7, 2022. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea May 17.

Sawicki is released on a $100,000 bond and residing in Farmington pending sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Wethersfield Police Department.