CT man charged after guns, drugs, $30,000 in cash found in storage unit
A Connecticut man has pleaded not guilty to federal gun and drug charges following an indictment by a grand jury, officials said.
Luis Oliver-Garcia, 34, of New London, was indicted on July 2 by a grand jury in Bridgeport on gun and drug charges including possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
He pleaded not guilty on Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Garcia in New Haven.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force identified Oliver-Garcia as an alleged large scale distributor of cocaine. The investigation revealed that Oliver-Garcia rented a storage unit at a facility on Cross Road in Waterford to store narcotics and other items. On June 21, Oliver-Garcia arrived at the storage facility shortly before investigators were about to conduct a court-authorized search of his storage unit.
Oliver-Garcia was arrested after the search allegedly revealed more than 3 kilograms of cocaine, approximately $30,000 in cash, and a 9mm firearm, and a search of the car that he drove to the facility revealed an additional quantity of cocaine and two boxes of 9mm ammunition, officials said in a press release.
Officials said Ortiz-Garcia’s criminal history includes state convictions for felony drug distribution and weapon possession offenses. 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.
This investigation was done by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force, which includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks police departments.
He has been detained since his arrest on June 21, 2024.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com
