Man Mailed Cocaine From Puerto Rico To Meriden: Feds

Meriden CT

27 October, 2021

9:06 AM

Description

MERIDEN, CT — A Meriden man has been charged with cocaine dealing, according to a statement from prosecutors. Jean Carlos Mercado, 32, of Meriden, is accused of participating in a scheme that used U.S. Mail to ship cocaine from Puerto Rico to Meriden. According to prosecutors, police began investigating after identifying suspicious parcels mailed from Puerto Rico to an address in Meriden in October 2020. Mercado was identified Oct. 26, 2020, when he picked up a package from that address. When he picked up another package Nov. 6, investigators conducted a traffic stop of his car, which was not registered. Law enforcement had the car towed and seized the package, which contained two kilograms of cocaine. In the following months, law enforcement seized four more kilograms of cocaine linked to Mercado. The indictment charges Mercado with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. He was also charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. Mercado was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 21 and is released on a $100,000 bond.