Executive Summary
- Four Hartford men were indicted following an ATF undercover operation spanning from June to October.
- Agents purchased seven firearms and fentanyl laced with carfentanil and xylazine.
- A federal grand jury returned a 16-count indictment including charges of firearms trafficking and drug conspiracy.
- The defendants pleaded not guilty in Hartford federal court on Thursday.
Four Hartford men have been indicted on federal charges following a months-long investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) into the trafficking of firearms and adulterated fentanyl. The operation, which utilized undercover agents, culminated in arrests and the seizure of weapons and narcotics, according to federal prosecutors.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut David Sullivan announced the developments on Friday, stating that the investigation involved a series of controlled purchases between June and October 15. Prosecutors allege that the defendants distributed fentanyl mixed with highly toxic additives, including carfentanil, xylazine, and tramadol. Sullivan described the combination of gun trafficking and the distribution of chemically altered fentanyl as a significant danger to the community.
The U.S. Attorney’s office identified the defendants as Antonio Baez, 26; Cory Lewis, 36; Javon Hutley, 33; and Roger Moody, 42. According to court documents, undercover ATF agents purchased seven firearms from Baez, Lewis, and Hutley during the investigation. Agents also reportedly conducted multiple purchases of the adulterated fentanyl mixtures from Baez, Lewis, and Moody.
Following the arrests, law enforcement executed search warrants at the suspects’ residences. Investigators reported finding two gun magazines and ammunition at Hutley’s Sisson Avenue home. Additionally, agents recovered a .357-caliber magnum revolver at Lewis’ residence on New Britain Avenue.
A federal grand jury in New Haven returned a 16-count indictment charging Baez, Lewis, and Moody with conspiracy to distribute and possess controlled substances. The indictment also charges Baez, Lewis, and Hutley with firearms trafficking conspiracy and firearms trafficking. Furthermore, Lewis and Hutley face charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The four men appeared in Hartford federal court on Thursday, where they entered pleas of not guilty.
Public Safety and Judicial Context
This case underscores the federal government’s intensified focus on dismantling criminal networks that operate at the intersection of illegal arms trade and the opioid crisis. The presence of xylazine and carfentanil in the seized narcotics highlights the evolving volatility of the illicit drug supply, prompting aggressive intervention strategies by the Department of Justice to mitigate public health risks. As the legal process moves forward, it is important to note that all individuals named in the indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.