New Haven Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking
Luis Salaman, 44, was convicted by a jury in December 2024 after the FBI's Safe Streets Task Force documented more than a year of controlled fentanyl purchases
PublishedMarch 18, 2026
The witness intimidation element added significant weight to Salaman's case
New Haven Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking, Witness Intimidation
A New Haven man was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison on March 12, 2026, after a jury found him guilty of fentanyl trafficking charges and prosecutors presented evidence that he had worked to intimidate witnesses against him while detained.
Luis Salaman, 44, also known as "Bebe," was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in federal court in Bridgeport. In addition to the 168-month prison term, Salaman received eight years of supervised release.
Salaman was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and three counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
The case originated in October 2021, when the FBI's Safe Streets Task Force determined that Salaman was distributing large quantities of narcotics throughout New Haven. From November 2021 through March 2022, investigators conducted multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from Salaman and his associate, Jesus Seguinot.
Salaman was arrested on April 5, 2022, and remained detained through the duration of the investigation and trial. In December 2024, a federal jury found both Salaman and Seguinot guilty of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The jury also found Salaman guilty on the three distribution counts.
The investigation involved a broad coalition of law enforcement agencies: the FBI, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, and police departments from New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford.
Witness Intimidation During Detention
The witness intimidation element added significant weight to Salaman's case. According to U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan, Salaman "worked with others to make several threatening social media posts to intimidate individuals who were cooperating with the government and testifying at his trial" — conduct that occurred while Salaman was detained and continued during the trial itself.
Witness intimidation in a federal case is a serious offense under 18 U.S.C. § 1512, carrying its own penalties. The conduct, according to the U.S. Attorney's office, reflected an attempt to obstruct the prosecution from inside detention.
Salaman's prior criminal record includes convictions for reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, assault, firearms offenses, and criminal contempt.
Co-Defendant Jesus Seguinot Sentenced in 2025
Salaman's co-defendant, Jesus Seguinot, was sentenced to 6½ years in federal prison on July 30, 2025, following his December 2024 jury conviction on the fentanyl conspiracy charge. Seguinot's sentence was announced approximately eight months before Salaman's, as the two were sentenced separately.
The case against Salaman and Seguinot was part of a broader federal enforcement effort targeting fentanyl distribution networks in southern Connecticut. The FBI's Safe Streets Task Force, which is composed of federal and local law enforcement personnel, has handled multiple fentanyl trafficking prosecutions in the New Haven area in recent years.
Federal Fentanyl Enforcement in New Haven
The Salaman case is one of several major federal fentanyl prosecutions tied to New Haven in recent years. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut has prosecuted multiple cases involving distribution networks operating in the city, with sentences ranging from several years to over a decade depending on drug quantities involved and conduct during the proceedings.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has been the leading driver of drug overdose deaths in Connecticut. Federal prosecution of distribution networks is one component of the broader law enforcement response to fentanyl in the state.
Salaman will serve his sentence in the federal prison system. No federal facility assignment had been publicly announced as of publication.
