Uncle of Former Norwalk Sheriff Sentenced to Decade in Prison

A federal judge on Thursday handed down a 121-month prison sentence to Demetrios ”Jimmy” Papadakos, who brought a Norwalk city sheriff and former candidate for state Senate in Norwalk into an illegal drug-distribution ring.

The nephew, Efstrati “Steve” Papadakos, was charged in May 2012 with use of a telephone to facilitate commission of a drug trafficking felony, according to the Norwalk Hour. A prosecutor and Papadakos‘ defense lawyer later came to an agreement that the former sheriff was only trying to buy marijuana for his own use and should receive no jail time, just probation, the newspaper later reported.

As of June, Efstrati Papadakos was running Papadakos Reality, the Hour reported. He became a Norwalk sheriff in 2009. The year before, he unsuccessfully ran against state Sen. Bob Duff, an incumbent, for the 25th District seat.

All together, 15 men were arrested on charges in connection with participating in the drug ring, according to the newspaper. Demetrios Papadakos was living in his nephew’s Fullin Court home in Norwalk when he was running the drug ring, The Hour reported.

Here’s the announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Haven:

Demetrios Papadakos, also known as “Jimmy,” 67, of Danbury, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Warren W. Eginton in Bridgeport to 121 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for heading a Fairfield County narcotics trafficking ring.

This matter stems from a year-long investigation headed by the DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Norwalk Police Department into the distribution of oxycodone, cocaine and marijuana in Fairfield County.

Sixteen individuals were charged and convicted as a result of this investigation.According to court documents and statements made in court, Papadakos and Alfred Catino, also of Danbury, were long-time associates who headed the narcotics trafficking ring.

The investigation revealed that Papadakos facilitated the purchase and distribution of more than 6,800 oxycodone 30-mg pills and more than a kilogram of cocaine.

Papadakos traveled to Florida to purchase wholesale quantities of oxycodone and traveled to New York to acquire oxycodone and cocaine, received prescriptions for oxycodone from a corrupt doctor to whom he had loaned a large sum of money, and obtained oxycodone from a co-defendant who had obtained pills from people with legitimate prescriptions in exchange for cash.

Papadakos has been detained since arrest on May 8, 2012. On June 23, 2014, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, oxycodone and marijuana.

Papadakos’ criminal history spans approximately 40 years and includes six federal felony convictions, one state felony conviction and multiple misdemeanor convictions, most of which are related to drug trafficking.

Catino has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

This matter was investigated by the DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Norwalk Police Department, with assistance provided by the Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport, Stamford, Stratford and Westport Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vanessa Richards and Michael Runowicz.