Waterbury Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Ring

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that OSCAR PENA-CRESPO, also known as "Boti," 29, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics.

According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI's Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force and other law enforcement agencies investigated two drug trafficking organizations based in the city of Waterbury. One organization operated in the area of William Street and the other operated in the area of Maple Avenue. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, video surveillance, GPS tracking of vehicles, and numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that the two organizations distributed cocaine, crack, and fentanyl through a network of sellers. The organizations shared sources of supply and worked together to further their operations.

Pena-Crespo coordinated the distribution of narcotics for the Maple Avenue-based organization. Between January and June 2023, investigators conducted multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl and crack cocaine from Pena-Crespo.

Seventeen individuals were charged with federal offenses as a result of the investigation. Pena-Crespo and several codefendants were arrested on November 29, 2023. In association with the arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants and seized approximately 700 grams of crack cocaine, more than 900 vials ("caps") of crack, approximately 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 in cash.

Pena-Crespo has been detained since his arrest. On April 3, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.

The FBI's Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task includes members from the FBI, the Waterbury Police Department, the Naugatuck Police Department, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Connecticut State Police, Wolcott Police Department, and Meriden Police Department have assisted the investigation.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Shan Patel through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the Waterbury State Attorney's Office for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.