Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOEL DeLEON, JR., also known as “Psycho,” 42, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 63 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and firearm possession by members of Los Solidos. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that Luis Feliciano, also known as “Louminaty,” distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack to customers and other distributors in the Hartford area, and also to individuals in New York and Maine.
On March 8, 2022, investigators approached DeLeon, who was sitting in his vehicle on Wolcott Street, after they had observed him meeting with Feliciano and engaging in suspected drug activity. DeLeon was arrested on state charges after he was found with packaged fentanyl and crack cocaine, and a loaded .22 magnum revolver.
DeLeon’s criminal history includes multiple felony narcotics convictions, including a federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute heroin, for which he was sentenced in November 2015 to 51 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release. He was released from federal prison in August 2018 and was on supervised release at the time of his arrest in March 2022.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On June 8, 2022, a grand jury returned an indictment charging DeLeon, Feliciano, and 14 others with various narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
DeLeon has been detained since his federal arrest on July 5, 2022. On January 19, 2023, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
Judge Shea sentenced DeLeon to 57 months of imprisonment for the narcotics and firearm offenses, and a consecutive six months of imprisonment for violating his supervised release.
Feliciano pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff, with the assistance of Law Student Intern Christopher D’Urso, 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.