Man who supplied heroin to Waterbury drug ring gets federal sentence of over five years
A 39-year-old former Waterbury resident was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison this week for supplying heroin to a member of a Waterbury-area drug trafficking ring, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
Jesus Nieves, also known as “Pop,” formerly of Waterbury and Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 63 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
In May 2020, the DEA New Haven Task Force and Waterbury Police Department started an investigation into a drug trafficking ring that was distributing large amounts of heroin, cocaine and crack in the Waterbury area, court records said.
The drug ring was reportedly headed up by Zachary Lee Foster, who worked closely with Jason Metz of Naugatuck, according to court records.
Investigators conducted court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones used by members of the drug ring, surveillance, controlled purchases of drugs and motor vehicle stops that resulted in the seizure of drugs.
The investigation revealed that Nieves supplied Metz with pre-packaged heroin that he redistributed to others, court records showed.
A federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Nieves, Foster, Metz and 14 others on March 1, 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. Nieves, Foster, Metz, and several others were then arrested on March 3, 2021.
According to court records, law enforcement executed seven search warrants and seized approximately 40,000 bags of suspected heroin, 350 grams of cocaine, 50 grams of crack cocaine and nine firearms.
Nieves has been detained since his 2021 arrest. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin on April 26, 2022.
Foster and Metz also pleaded guilty, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. On June 8, 2022, Metz was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and Foster is awaiting sentencing.
