Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL LEE, 26, of Windsor, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and the seizure of drugs that had been shipped through the U.S. Mail, revealed that Michael Lee, his brother Alexander Lee, and others, received thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, and other controlled substances, from a source of supply on the west coast of the U.S., and then distributed the drugs to various street-level distributors and numerous drug customers in Connecticut.
In February 2022, Michael and Alexander Lee traveled to California and shipped a package back to Alexander Lee’s Windsor residence. The package, which was intercepted and searched pursuant to a federal search warrant, contained approximately 18,000 fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone. In May 2022, the Lees again traveled to California and shipped a package to an associate in Bloomfield. A search of the package revealed 1,800 tablets of Alprazolam (Xanax) that appeared to be manufactured in Mexico.
During the investigation, investigators also seized approximately 25 pounds of marijuana, seven firearms, and thousands of dollars in cash.
Michael and Alexander Lee were arrested on June 29, 2022. On that date, a search of Michael Lee’s residence revealed more than 1,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills, a small quantity of prescription Xanax tablets, and a loaded .45 caliber pistol with an extended magazine.
On November 6, 2023, Michael Lee pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Currently released on a $100,000 bond, he is required to report to prison on April 24.
Alexander Lee pleaded guilty to the same charge and, on September 6, 2023, was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment.
This matter was investigated by the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Connecticut State Police; East Central Narcotics Task Force; and the Windsor and Enfield Police Departments. The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA and the Bristol, East Windsor, Hamden, New Britain, West Haven, Newington, Manchester, Glastonbury, and Watertown Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Stephanie T. Levick 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.
Tags: Arrests Counterfeit Oxy Drug Trafficking Fentanyl Weapons Involved