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A federal grand jury in New Haven announced the indictment of four suspects with cocaine traffic offenses for their roles in the operation, which lasted months.
Those charged:
- Jean Mangual-Castro, age 34, of West Haven;
- Jason Spearman, also known as “J” and “Deuce,” age 34, of New Haven;
- Enid Castro, age 52, of West Haven;
- Maria Alejandra Perrez Torres, also known as “Alej,” and “Alejandra Perez,” age 21, of Villalba, Puerto Rico.
US Attorney Leonard Boyle said that an investigation headed by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force and the US Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force determined that Mangual-Castro was allegedly orchestrating shipments of cocaine through the mail from Puerto Rico.
It is alleged that on Dec. 20, 2021, after investigators identified that a suspicious package had been delivered to Castro's West Haven home - who is Mangual-Castro’s mother - investigators conducted a court-authorized search of the residence and seized approximately two kilograms of cocaine, a Rolex watch, jewelry, and approximately $2,900 in cash.
Investigators also seized approximately three kilograms from a separate location being used in the operation that had been mailed from Puerto Rico to Mangual-Castro in Connecticut.
The indictment further alleges that Perez Torres mailed packages containing cocaine through the USPS to Connecticut, and that Spearman received and then distributed the narcotics.
Mangual-Castro, Spearman, and Castro have been charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
Based on the amount of quantity of cocaine attributed to each suspect, Mangual-Castro faces up to life in prison, and the other three face up to 40 years in prison.
Prosecutors noted that Spearman has been detained since his arrest in February.
He and seven others were charged with narcotics distribution offenses in a related case during which law enforcement seized approximately 19 kilograms of cocaine, more than 7,000 bags of fentanyl, and more than $780,000 in cash.
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