Meriden Man Sentenced For Role In Drug Trafficking Ring

MERIDEN, CT — A Meriden man has been sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a cocaine and crack ring, according to authorities. Shane Blake, 35, was also sentenced Wednesday to four years of supervised release following the prison term, U.S. States Attorney for Connecticut John H. Durham announced in a press release. The matter stems from a joint investigation headed by the DEA New Haven Task Force into a central Connecticut cocaine and crack cocaine trafficking ring.

“The investigation, which included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of crack cocaine and seizures of cocaine and cash proceeds, revealed that Carlos Roman, also known as ‘Frizz,’ of Middletown, served as a primary distributor of narcotics for the organization, and that he regularly converted, or ‘cooked,’ cocaine into crack cocaine,” Durham wrote in a press release. “During the investigation, an undercover officer made five controlled purchases of redistribution quantities of crack from Roman.

“On April 11, 2017, Roman was arrested in possession of approximately 500 grams of cocaine. A subsequent search of his residence revealed a .380 caliber handgun. While Roman was incarcerated, Blake assisted the drug trafficking organization by obtaining cocaine and converting it to crack cocaine for distribution.”

On July 20, 2017, a grand jury in New Haven returned a nine-count indictment charging Blake, Roman and nine other individuals with various offenses.

Blake has been detained since his arrest on July 26, 2017. On March 8, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”).

Roman previously pleaded guilty to one count of with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 280 grams or more of cocaine base, and one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. On April 12, 2018, he was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment.

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