A Connecticut man who operated a drug trafficking operation out of a car dealership in New Britain has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison, authorities announced Monday.
According to David X. Sullivan, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Wilfredo Ortiz, 45, of Bristol, received a sentence of over 11 years behind bars followed by five years of supervised release.
Federal prosecutors said Ortiz led a drug trafficking organization that operated from Supreme Automotive, a car dealership in New Britain.
The investigation began in 2024 and was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force along with the New Britain Police Department. Authorities used court-approved wiretaps, electronic and physical surveillance, and controlled drug purchases to uncover the operation.
During the investigation, law enforcement conducted three controlled purchases from Ortiz involving more than one kilogram of cocaine. Intercepted communications also revealed his links to firearms.
Ortiz and several associates were arrested on Nov. 14, 2024. Following the arrests, investigators carried out court-authorized searches at the dealership, residences, and other locations connected to the organization.
During those searches, authorities seized more than five kilograms of cocaine, over 200 grams of fentanyl, about 30 grams of heroin, a kilogram press used for packaging drugs, seven firearms, ammunition, approximately $75,000 in cash, and 26 vehicles.
Ortiz has remained in custody since his arrest. On Nov. 10, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Prosecutors also noted that Ortiz has a prior criminal history. In 1999, he was sentenced in New Britain Superior Court to 27 years in prison for murder and robbery related to a convenience store robbery in August 1998, during which a co-defendant fatally shot one employee and injured another.
