Newington Man Sentenced In Fentanyl Dealing, Drug Case

NEWINGTON, CT — A Newington man was sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison for fentanyl dealing and gun crimes, according to a statement from Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. Joseph Diaz, 28, will also serve four years of supervised release.

Investigators found that Diaz, a former Hartford police cadet, conducted a drug transaction on Stedman Street in Hartford in February 2019, according to prosecutors. Police later stopped his car and found him in possession of a loaded .380 caliber pistol, approximately 700 bags of heroin/fentanyl, and $1,704 in cash.

Diaz was arrested and transported to the Hartford police station, where he agreed to allow investigators to search his Newington home.

After investigators left the interview room, an officer saw through a window that Diaz was typing something on his watch. The officer opened the door, removed the watch, and discovered that it was an Apple-type watch.

Shortly thereafter, investigators who had arrived at Diaz’s home spotted Diaz’s father, Jose Diaz, exit through the rear door carrying a black plastic bag and then run toward the parking lot. Officers approached Jose Diaz, who dropped the plastic bag and a fanny pack.

Investigators searched the bag and fanny pack and found more than 3,300 bags of fentanyl, approximately 80 grams of unpackaged fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia.

Jose Diaz agreed to allow a search of his phone. On the phone screen there were several unopened text messages, including one from Jose Diaz that read “Go now. Everything.”

In the home, police found additional quantity of packaged fentanyl, approximately 21 grams of unpackaged fentanyl, a loaded .22 caliber pistol, assorted ammunition, and approximately $2,500 in cash.

Joseph Diaz pleaded guilty in February to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

He was released on a $75,000 bond and is required to report to prison July 28.

Jose Diaz pleaded guilty to a related charge and has been sentenced.