David X. Sullivan, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Carmelo Cancel, also known as “Bebe,” was sentenced to 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford for Cancel’s role in supplying cocaine to two drug trafficking organizations in Waterbury.
The FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force and other agencies investigated these organizations, led by Angel Quiros (“Papa John”) and Daniel Diaz-Rivera, operating on William Street and Maple Avenue respectively. The investigation utilized wiretaps, video surveillance, GPS tracking, and controlled narcotics purchases to uncover the distribution of cocaine, crack, and fentanyl through a network of sellers with Cancel as a supplier.
Cancel was charged alongside Quiros, Diaz-Rivera, and 14 others following the investigation. They were arrested on November 29, 2023. Search warrants executed at that time resulted in the seizure of substantial quantities of drugs including crack cocaine and fentanyl/heroin mixtures, firearms, ammunition, and cash.
On April 23, 2025, Cancel pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to cocaine distribution. He is set to report to prison on September 17 after being released on a $100,000 bond.
Quiros has also pleaded guilty but awaits sentencing while Diaz-Rivera received a sentence of 210 months imprisonment on June 23.
The FBI’s task force includes members from multiple local police departments along with federal agencies such as the DEA and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Shan Patel are prosecuting this case under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan expressed gratitude toward the Waterbury State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation throughout this case.
