Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment yesterday charging BIMAEL ACEVEDO-ROMAN, 28, of Meriden, with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in October 2020, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force began investigating a cocaine trafficking operation headed by Acevedo-Roman. The investigation revealed that Acevedo-Roman was coordinating the shipment of parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine from U.S. Post Offices in Puerto Rico to various “drop addresses” in Meriden, New Britain and Bristol, and the shipment of parcels of cash back to Puerto Rico. Acevedo-Roman and others picked up parcels from the drop addresses and delivered them to Acevedo-Roman’s Meriden residence.
During the investigation, it is alleged that investigators intercepted and seized mail parcels containing more than five kilograms of cocaine and $179,300 in cash, and have identified dozens of other suspicious parcels that likely contained kilogram quantities of cocaine and bulk currency.
Acevedo-Roman was arrested on May 18, 2022, and is currently released on a $100,000 bond. If convicted of the charge, he faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden and Town of Groton Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Stephanie Levick.