Hartford Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Gun Offense

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DEVIN TEXIRA, also known as “LV,” 27, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a firearm possession offense.

According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and firearm possession by members of Los Solidos.  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, revealed that Luis Feliciano, also known as “Louminaty,” distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack to customers and other distributors in the Hartford area, and also to individuals in New York and Maine.  In October 2021, a member of Feliciano’s drug trafficking network, Jose Tirado, coordinated the sale of 9mm handgun, owned by Texira, to another individual for $800.

Texira’s criminal history includes felony convictions for firearm possession, robbery, assault, and threatening offenses, and he was on state probation in October 2021 during the firearm transaction.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

Hartford Police arrested Texira on March 27, 2022, on state charges related to an alleged threatening incident involving a firearm.

On June 8, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Texira, Feliciano, Tirado, and 13 others with various narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.

On February 16, 2023, Texira pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.  He has been detained since his arrest, and he awaits sentencing on the unrelated state charges.

Feliciano and Tirado pleaded guilty.  On August 11, 2023, Tirado, also known as “Joselito” and “Leet,” was sentenced to 84 months of imprisonment.  Feliciano awaits sentencing.

This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department.  The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff. 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.