New Britain Man Involved in Cocaine Trafficking Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that NERICK DIAZ-QUESADA, 25, of New Britain, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.

According to court documents, on November 10, 2022, members of the DEA’s Hartford Task Force and New Britain Police Department executed a court-authorized search warrant at an apartment located on LaSalle Street in New Britain suspected of being used as a location to store, process, and package narcotics for distribution.  Diaz-Quesada was apprehended after he attempted to flee from investigators when they entered the apartment.  A search of bedroom that Diaz-Quesada used revealed more than two kilograms of cocaine, a loaded Glock 9mm handgun, narcotics packaging materials, and a large amount of cash.

Diaz-Quesada has been detained since his arrest.  On January 26, 2023, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

This investigation is being conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force, which includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.