United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

HARTFORD BUSINESS OWNER SENTENCED TO 41 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR DEALING HEROIN

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ELESER “LEE” ORTEGA, 30, of Imperial Drive, Manchester, the owner and operator of Lee’s Auto Sales, located at 122-128 Park Street, Hartford, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 41 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin.  Judge Thompson also ordered ORTEGA to pay a fine in the amount of $7500.  ORTEGA pleaded guilty to the offense on May 7, 2007.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, on three occasions in 2006, ORTEGA distributed various quantities of heroin to an individual at Lee’s Auto Sales.  Specifically, ORTEGA sold approximately 20 grams of heroin on June 1, 2006 in exchange for $1400, approximately 40 grams of heroin on June 14, 2006 in exchange for $2800, and approximately 100 grams of heroin on August 22, 2006 in exchange for $6800.

ORTEGA, who had no prior convictions, admitted that he had engaged in the business of dealing heroin for profit and had earned approximately $1500 per week from his trafficking operation.  He also admitted that he had purchased quantities of heroin of as much as 150 grams at one time, and had resold as much as 125 grams at a time.

In sentencing ORTEGA, Judge Thompson noted the seriousness of the offense, that ORTEGA had the ability to earn money legitimately through his auto sales business, that he had not accepted responsibility for his offense, and that he initially had made false statements to the Government.

ORTEGA was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on August 29, 2006, and he has been released on a $100,000 non-surety bond since that time.  He was ordered to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on February 25, 2008.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hartford Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Spector.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov