March 25, 2015

West Haven and Hartford Residents Charged with Narcotics and Firearm Offenses

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ANTHONY SABATO, 57, of West Haven, and MIGUEL JOEL ROMAN, 25, of Hartford, were arrested yesterday on federal narcotics and firearm offenses. SABATO and ROMAN are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel in Bridgeport at 12:30 p.m.

This matter stems from an investigation being conducted by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets Task Force, the West Haven Police Department and the Darien Police Department. The investigation employed the use of an undercover law enforcement officer.

As alleged in the criminal complaint, between January and March 2015, the undercover officer purchased crack cocaine from SABATO and ROMAN. SABATO and ROMAN also negotiated the purchase of a handgun from the undercover officer, and arranged to sell him two ounces of crack cocaine at a price of $2,000 per ounce. SABATO and ROMAN were arrested after they met the undercover officer at SABATO’s West Haven home to consummate the crack cocaine and firearm transactions.

The complaint charges SABATO and ROMAN with conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack cocaine”), which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and conspiring to possess a firearm in furtherance of a narcotics trafficking offense, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

U.S. Attorney Daly 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.

The FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets Task Force includes personnel from the FBI, West Haven Police Department, New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Lee Dayton.