Man Sentenced In Hartford Cocaine Dealing Case: Feds

HARTFORD, CT — A man has been sentenced in connection with a cocaine-dealing ring that shipped drugs from Puerto Rico to Hartford, according to federal prosecutors. Pedro Rivera, 50, last residing in St. Cloud, FL, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison.

According to prosecutors, Rivera arranged to have kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico sent in packages to addresses in Hartford. When the cocaine arrived, Jesus Rodriguez, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, delivered the cocaine to Rivera.

Rodriguez also dealt cocaine to his own drug customers, and delivered parcels to other cocaine traffickers in the Hartford area, according to prosecutors.

Law enforcement intercepted communications over a court-authorized wiretap during which Rivera and Rodriguez arranged the delivery of a cocaine parcel, according to prosecutors.

Investigators then seized the parcel, which contained three kilograms of cocaine.

Rivera was arrested in Florida on June 3, 2019.

He was charged by grand jury indictment later that year along with 17 others with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and related offenses.

Rivera pleaded guilty in November to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

Rivera has been detained since his arrest.