November 20, 2007

CONNECTICUT MAN SENTENCED TO 130 MONTHS
FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING AND GUN POSSESSION

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on November 16, 2007, Osvaldo DeJesus, 21, of Hartford, Connecticut, was sentenced to 130 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release for Distribution of Cocaine Base and Possession of a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense. DeJesus, who had been detained since October, 2005, remained in custody. The Honorable William K. Sessions, III, imposed sentence.

According to Court documents, DeJesus came to Vermont for the first time in 2001 for the purpose of selling heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base. For the next three years, DeJesus traveled between Windsor, Vermont, and Hartford, Connecticut, bringing quantities of illegal narcotics to Windsor each time he came north. DeJesus not only sold large quantities of narcotics to the Windsor area residents, but he also traded narcotics for handguns, which he then brought back to Connecticut.

The investigation into gun and drug trafficking in Windsor has resulted in the prosecution of several other defendants. Jason Chaffee was sentenced in May, 2005, for possession of a firearm by a user of narcotics. Richard Jones and Carrie Jones were sentenced in July, 2005, for making false statements on firearms forms to aid in straw purchases of weapons to exchange for drugs. Barry Perez has been charged and is awaiting trial for firearms and drug offenses in connection with this case. Ladislav Bohac is also awaiting trial for possession of a firearm by a drug user and for making a false statement on a firearms form.

United States Attorney Thomas D. Anderson thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Southern Vermont Drug Task Force, which investigated the case. DeJesus was represented by Richard Bothfeld, Esq. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Woodcock prosecuted the case for the United States.