New Haven Heroin, Cocaine Trafficker Gets 10-Year Prison Term: Feds

NEW HAVEN, CT — A 40-year-old New Haven man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking, according to the Justice Department.

Duane Filyaw operated a heroin and cocaine trafficking ring where he conspired with others to buy narcotics from suppliers and then distribute drugs to other suppliers of street-level dealers in and around New Haven, according to U.S. Attorney for Connecticut Vanessa Roberts Avery.

The conviction in federal court was announced Monday. The case was a joint investigation of the DEA New Haven Task Force, FBI and New Haven police. The probe, Avery said, included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of heroin and cocaine, and seizures of bulk heroin and cocaine.

During the investigation, officers seized more than 500 grams of heroin, more than 300 grams of fentanyl, more than one kilo of cocaine, three firearms, over $90,000 in cash, vehicles, jewelry and precious metals, Avery said.

In April 2018, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Filyaw and 18 other individuals with narcotics trafficking crimes, per the US Attorney.

Filyaw, arrested that month, pleaded guilty in 2020 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and five kilograms or more of cocaine, Avery said.