Tommy Figueroa, also known as “Coco,” a 31-year-old resident of Waterbury, has been sentenced to 66 months in federal prison. The sentence, delivered by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford, includes an additional three years of supervised release following his imprisonment for his involvement in a drug trafficking ring operating out of Waterbury.
According to court documents and statements made during the proceedings, the FBI’s Waterbury Safe Streets Gang Task Force, alongside other law enforcement agencies, conducted an investigation into two drug trafficking organizations based in Waterbury. One group operated near William Street while the other was centered around Maple Avenue. The investigation involved wiretaps on multiple phones authorized by the court, video surveillance, GPS tracking of vehicles, and numerous controlled narcotics purchases. These efforts revealed that both organizations distributed cocaine, crack cocaine, and fentanyl through a network of sellers and shared supply sources to further their operations.
Figueroa held the position of shift-boss for the Maple Street organization where he ensured continuous street-level distribution of primarily crack cocaine. Investigators made several controlled purchases from Figueroa during their inquiry and discovered he had obtained two firearms for protection purposes.
He was initially arrested on state charges on September 25, 2023; at that time authorities seized two firearms from him. Despite being detained in state custody, Figueroa continued his narcotics activities with assistance from his then-girlfriend Neysa Vazquez-Ferrer.
The investigation led to federal charges against seventeen individuals. On January 28, 2025, Figueroa entered a guilty plea in federal court to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Vazquez-Ferrer also pleaded guilty to a related drug trafficking offense and received a sentence of 36 months’ imprisonment on May 22, 2025.
The FBI’s task force includes members from several agencies including the Waterbury Police Department and others like Naugatuck Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction. Assistance was also provided by the DEA among others.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth and Shan Patel are prosecuting this case under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Further details about OCDETF can be accessed online at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
U.S Attorney David X. Sullivan expressed gratitude towards the Waterbury State Attorney’s Office for its cooperation throughout this investigation and prosecution process.
