Newtown Police Department. File photo.
A federal grand jury indicted three more men Thursday for their alleged connection with an illegal drug trafficking ring that officials say was led by a former Newtown police sergeant.
The latest suspects to be charged were Louis Borrero, of Ansonia; John Koch, of Coventry; and Guido Volpe, of Prospect.
The indictment charges all 11 defendants with conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids, which carries a up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. Steven Santucci, a longtime Newtown police sergeant who recently resigned, was also charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, which carries up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000.
The investigation, dubbed “Operation Juice Box,” began in 2014 when federal authorities received an anonymous letter with a sample of Santucci’s steroids, authorities said.
Drug Enforcement Administration agents learned last fall that the sergeant had been importing bulk steroids from China and other places, repackaging them for retail sales to bodybuilders in local gyms, the arrest affidavit said.
Santucci and seven other men, including a civilian Newtown police dispatcher, were arrested in late April.
Jury selection in the case is scheduled for July 14.