A Bristol man who federal authorities say ran a significant drug trafficking operation from inside a New Britain car dealership has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison. Wilfredo Ortiz, 45, also known as “Will” and “P,” was sentenced in federal court in Hartford to 135 months behind bars followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to his role in distributing large quantities of narcotics throughout the region. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea. The case was announced by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

According to federal prosecutors and evidence presented in court, Ortiz led a drug trafficking organization that used Supreme Automotive, a car dealership located on Main Street in New Britain, as a base for distributing cocaine and other narcotics. Investigators say the dealership served as a front for the operation, allowing members of the organization to conduct drug transactions while appearing to run a legitimate business.

The investigation began in 2024 and was carried out by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force along with the New Britain Police Department and several other federal, state and local agencies. Authorities employed a wide range of investigative techniques during the probe, including court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance, electronic monitoring and controlled purchases of drugs. During the investigation, undercover purchases were made directly from Ortiz and other members of the organization, with several of those transactions involving large quantities of cocaine. In three separate controlled purchases, agents obtained more than a kilogram of cocaine directly from Ortiz.

Intercepted communications during the investigation also revealed connections between the trafficking operation and firearms, raising additional concerns about the potential for violence linked to the group’s activities. Authorities say the evidence collected through wiretaps and surveillance ultimately helped investigators map out the structure of the organization and identify multiple participants involved in the drug distribution network.

The investigation culminated on November 14, 2024, when Ortiz and several associates were arrested during coordinated law enforcement operations. Following the arrests, investigators executed court-authorized search warrants at the Supreme Automotive dealership, as well as several residences and other locations tied to the organization. Those searches uncovered a substantial amount of drugs, weapons and other evidence tied to the trafficking operation.

Authorities seized more than five kilograms of cocaine, over 200 grams of fentanyl and approximately 30 grams of heroin. Investigators also recovered a kilogram press believed to be used to package narcotics for distribution. In addition to the drugs, law enforcement officials seized seven firearms, ammunition, roughly $75,000 in cash and 26 vehicles believed to be connected to the operation or purchased with proceeds from drug trafficking.

Ortiz has remained in federal custody since his arrest. On November 10, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, a serious federal offense that carries significant mandatory penalties.

Court records also highlight Ortiz’s previous criminal history. In 1999, he was sentenced in New Britain Superior Court to 27 years in prison for murder and robbery related to a violent convenience store robbery in August 1998. During that robbery, a co-defendant shot and killed one store employee and wounded another.

The extensive investigation that led to Ortiz’s conviction involved cooperation between numerous law enforcement agencies. Participating agencies included the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction and the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles Police. Local police departments from New Britain, Hartford, West Hartford, Waterbury, Naugatuck, East Hartford, Brookfield, Milford, Norwich, Orange, North Haven, Meriden, Berlin and Manchester also contributed to the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth, Reed Durham and David Nelson, who worked with investigators to bring the case to federal court and secure Ortiz’s conviction and sentence. Federal officials say the case reflects an ongoing effort to dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in Connecticut communities.

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