Man Sentenced In Connection With Murder Of Meriden Man: Feds

SPRINGFIELD, MA — A Springfield man has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison in connection with the 2014 murder of a Meriden man, according to John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. Joel Jaquez, 36, will also serve five years of supervised release.

According to prosecutors, Jesus Silva, 24, of Meriden, was found murdered by a gunshot to the head Dec. 30, 2014, as he sat in his car on Yeaton Street in New Britain. Police investigation revealed that Hector Cardona-Diaz, of Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, was a large-scale drug trafficker who regularly supplied Silva and others in the Hartford and Springfield areas with distribution quantities of cocaine.

He concealed the drugs in ceramic moldings and shipped in packages using the U.S. Mail., according to prosecutors. Silva and others then mailed cash profits of the sale of cocaine to Cardona-Diaz in Puerto Rico.

In November 2014, investigators seized two packages containing a total of about $40,000 in drug money that had been mailed to Cardona-Diaz.

Cardona-Diaz learned that Silva had taken a large amount of cash generated from the drug trafficking enterprise. He then Cardona hired Jesus Sierra, of Springfield, to murder Silva with a promise to pay him $5,000 and supply him with future shipments of cocaine.

Sierra received a gun from Jaquez and promised to pay Jaquez a portion of the money Sierra was going to be paid by Cardona-Diaz.

Sierra arranged to meet Silva in Meriden under the guise of purchasing a car from him. Sierra and Jaquez then traveled to Connecticut to meet Silva. Sierra and Silva then drove together to New Britain under the ruse that Sierra needed a mechanic in New Britain to examine the car.

Jaquez followed Sierra and Silva in a separate car. In New Britain, Sierra shot and killed and Silva.

Jaquez has been detained since his arrest in May 2015. He pleaded guilty in 2017 to one count of murder for hire by interstate travel resulting in death.

Sierra pleaded guilty to the same charge in 2017.

Cardona-Diaz was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit murder for hire resulting in death, one count of murder for hire by interstate travel resulting in death, and one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

Sierra and Cardona-Diaz are detained and awaiting sentencing.