Windsor Locks Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Charges

NEW HAVEN, CT — A Windsor Locks man pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to drug trafficking and money laundering offenses related to the distribution of heroin and various prescription medications, less than a week after his wife pleaded guilty to the same charges.

Oscar Montoya, 62, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven, according to John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning around 1998, Montoya’s wife, Christina Miles, a retired nurse, illegally possessed, dispensed and sold prescription medication and other controlled substances. Montoya knew of Miles’ illegal activity and, at Miles’ direction, dispensed pills to at least one of Miles’ drug customers. Montoya also was aware that family members outside of Connecticut were mailing pills to Miles at their Windsor Locks residence, and that his wife was selling the pills for profit, Durham said.

On Aug. 4, 2016, members of the North Central Narcotics Task Force and the DEA conducted a court-authorized search of Miles and Montoya’s residence at 350 North Street in Windsor Locks and seized a large quantity of various prescription medications, approximately two pounds of marijuana, $10,093 in cash and more than $13,000 in gift cards. Miles and Montoya were arrested on state charges after the search, Durham said.

The investigation revealed that, through this drug trafficking conspiracy, Miles and Montoya amassed more than $700,000 in a number of individual and jointly held bank accounts. The investigation also revealed that, in April 2017, the couple used $17,359 of drug proceeds to purchase 11 U.S. Postal Service money orders and a bank cashier’s check payable to a New Jersey-based moving company for a planned move from Connecticut to New Mexico, Durham said.

Miles and Montoya were arrested on federal charges on Nov. 16, 2017. On Feb. 2, 2018, another court-authorized search of their North Street residence revealed additional drug evidence and $41,904 in cash, according to Durham.

Montoya pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin, oxymorphone, hydrocodone and alprazolam, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of engaging and attempting to engage in a monetary transaction affecting interstate commerce, involving criminally derived property of a value greater than $10,000, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, Durham said.

In pleading guilty, Montoya agreed to forfeit his interest in the Windsor Locks residence and $767,056.74 seized from the residence and multiple bank accounts, Durham said.

Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for Sept. 4, 2018. Montoya has been detained since his federal arrest.

Miles pleaded guilty to the same charges on May 15, 2018, and is detained while awaiting sentencing. She also has agreed to forfeit her interest in the Windsor Locks residence and the seized money, Durham said.

File photo courtesy of Windsor Locks Police Department

To sign up for Windsor Locks-East Windsor breaking news alerts and more, click here.