Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced today that the following four men were arrested yesterday on federal narcotics distribution charges primarily related to the large-scale trafficking of counterfeit fentanyl pills containing fentanyl:

MICHAEL LEE, 24, of Windsor
ALEXANDER LEE, 21, of Windsor
DARYL BEAUFORT, 24, of Windsor
JUSTIN LITTLE, 24, of Windsor

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad has been investigating a drug trafficking organization led by Michael Lee and his brother Alexander Lee.  The investigation, which has 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, 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 in Connecticut, including Beaufort and Little, and numerous drug customers.

During the investigation and in association with yesterday’s arrests, investigators seized more than 15,000 counterfeit oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl, more than 1,800 alprazolam tablets (commonly referred to as “Xanax”), approximately 25 pounds of marijuana, seven firearms, and thousands of dollars in cash.

The defendants were arrested on criminal complaints charging each with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession with intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances.

Each defendant appeared yesterday before U.S. District Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford.  Michael and Alexander Lee are currently detained, and Beaufort and Little were released on bonds.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being 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 Watertown, East Windsor, Manchester, Glastonbury, New Britain, West Haven, Hamden and Newington 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.