A man has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for distributing drugs under one of two narcotics organizations that were found to be operating in the Waterbury area.
Luis Munoz, also known as “P.R.” and “Puerto Rico,” 41, of Waterbury faced sentencing on Thursday in federal court in Hartford, where U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea sentenced him to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
The sentencing came after Munoz took a plea deal on March 7, pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. He is free on a $100,000 bond and is set to report to prison on Jan. 16, federal officials said.
Munoz was identified as a narcotics dealer during an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force and other law enforcement agencies, according to officials. Authorities investigated two drug trafficking organizations based in the area.
One of them was allegedly headed by Angel Quiros and operated in the area of William Street, authorities said. The other was headed by Daniel Diaz-Rivera and operated in the area of Maple Avenue, according to officials.
The investigation involved court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, video surveillance, vehicles being tracked by GPS and “numerous controlled purchases” of narcotics, federal officials said. Investigators allegedly found that the two organizations distributed cocaine, crack cocaine and fentanyl through a “network of sellers.”
“The organizations shared sources of supply, worked together to further their operations, and sold narcotics all hours of the day and night,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office wrote in a statement.
Investigators found that Munoz distributed cocaine, crack cocaine and fentanyl as part of the Quiros organization, officials said
Munoz, Quiros, Diaz-Rivera and 14 associates were charged in connection with the investigation. Many of them were apprehended on Nov. 29, 2023, the same day investigators carried out multiple search warrants tied to the investigation.
Authorities reported finding about 700 grams of crack cocaine, more than 900 vials — commonly known as “caps” — of crack cocaine, about 200 grams of loose fentanyl, more than 1,600 dose bags of fentanyl/heroin, two stolen firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition and more than $39,000. Investigators reportedly seized about 234 grams of cocaine, 22 grams of fentanyl and $2,100 from Munoz, officials said.
According to officials, Quiros and Diaz-Rivera pleaded guilty to related charges. On Aug. 19, Quiros was sentenced to 63 months in prison. On June 23, Diaz-Rivera was sentenced to 210 months in prison.