Three men went to a CT car wash for a drug deal. The attendant was shot as he tried to flee.
A man who was involved in a drug deal that led to a shooting was sentenced this week to almost four years in federal prison on a heroin trafficking offense, federal officials said.
Thomas Aquiles, Jr., 37, formerly of New Britain, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 42 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty on April 18 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
On Dec. 21, 2016, Hartford Police Department officers responded to a report of a person shot at a car wash at 156 Franklin Avenue in Hartford around 10 p.m. At the car wash, officers found an employee who was suffering from two gunshot wounds, court records said.
The car wash employee was transported to a local hospital where he was treated for his injuries, according to court records.
Using surveillance video, investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hartford Police Department learned that Hector Alfonso arrived at the car wash shortly before the shooting to buy heroin with Aquiles and Ruben Rodriguez. Alfonso and Rodriguez were both armed with handguns, officials said. A dispute and struggle between Alfonso and Aquiles reportedly took place during the purchase, and Alfonso shot the employee as he attempted to run from the car wash, court records show.
Alfonso was arrested on May 10, 2017. Investigators searched his Manchester residence that day and reportedly found cocaine, cocaine residue on a toilet seat and crack cocaine residue in another part of the home. They also reportedly recovered items used to process and package drugs for sale, according to federal officials.
Alfonso pleaded guilty to drug and firearm offenses and was sentenced on March 22, 2019, to 153 months in prison for the charges as well as for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction, federal officials said.
Rodriguez was arrested on Sep. 27, 2017. On that date, investigators searched his Meriden residence and vehicle and recovered a loaded .40 caliber pistol, numerous rounds of ammunition, $61,909 in cash, approximately 133 grams of heroin and around 170 grams of cocaine, according to court records. Rodriguez also pleaded guilty to drug and firearm offenses and was sentenced to 72 months in prison on March 21, 2019, federal officials said.
Aquiles, who was on state parole in December 2016, fled in January 2018 and remained a fugitive until he was arrested in New York in August 2022, according to federal officials. He is currently detained in state custody.