Hartford Residents Charged In Massive Fentanyl Bust: Feds

HARTFORD, CT — Two Hartford men have been charged in connection with a massive fentanyl bust in which 16 kilos of fentanyl and 30,000 fentanyl pills were seized, according to prosecutors. Erasmo Rosario-Hernandez, aka "Wally Rosario," 38, and Wily Arias De La Cruz, 38, both citizens of the Dominican Republic last residing in Hartford, were charged in an eight-count indictment.

Rosario has also been charged with a gun crime stemming from his possession of several assault rifles and other guns.

Investigators in Hartford stopped a car March 11 in which De La Cruz was a passenger and seized two compressed bricks of fentanyl with a total weight of more than one kilogram.

Later that morning in a search of Rosario's Magnolia Street home, law enforcement found about one kilogram of fentanyl, approximately 16,000 fentanyl pills disguised as 30 milligram oxycodone pills, three high-capacity magazine, and a bump stock device for an automatic rifle, according to prosecutors.

A narcotics-detection canine alerted law enforcement to Rosario’s Mercedes that was parked outside of the home. Investigators searched the car and seized approximately 14 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately 1,000 bags of prepackaged fentanyl, approximately 16,000 fentanyl pills, approximately 75 grams of heroin, 41 grams of cocaine base, a kilogram press, four assault-style rifles, two handguns, ammunition, multiple false identification cards with Rosario’s photo, and approximately $66,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency, according to prosecutors.

Rosario and De La Cruz have been detained since March 11.

Rosario and De La Cruz were indicted Tuesday on charges of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Each of these offenses crimes a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

“It is alleged that these defendants have been involved in a drug trafficking network that involved a massive amount of fentanyl and the production of thousands of fentanyl pills that could easily be mistaken for legitimate oxycodone pills,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut Leonard C. Boyle said in a statement. “As fentanyl continues to be the leading cause of overdose deaths in Connecticut and around the country, we are determined to do everything to stop of the flow of this deadly drug into and around our state. This case represents one of the largest one-time seizures of fentanyl that we’ve seen in Connecticut, and I thank the DEA and its task force members for their excellent work. Their efforts in taking these dangerous drugs and guns off the streets have saved lives.”