Sister of Hartford gangster sentenced to prison for selling fentanyl

Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant
·2 min read

The sister of notorious Hartford gangster Ricardo “Rick the Ruler” Reyes was sentenced to five years in prison Wednesday for distributing the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl.

Federal prosecutors said Janicette Reyes, 43, of Hartford, was part of her brother’s drug-dealing operation and that a search of the Rowe Avenue apartment she shared with convicted drug dealer Johnny “Clatcho” Ortega turned up 3,450 single dose-bags of fentanyl, narcotics paraphernalia, a loaded Glock .40 caliber pistol and ammunition.

Filings in federal court show that a federal drug and gang task became aware of Janicette Reyes after opening an investigation in 2018 of her brother’s drug operation in Frog Hollow. Over the course of the investigation, agents wiretapped multiple telephones and made undercover buys of fentanyl, cocaine and crack. At the time, Ricardo Reyes was a prominent member of the Los Solidos street gang.

Ricardo Reyes was arrested on weapons charges in 2019 after using a straw purchaser to buy handguns. After the purchase, investigators stopped his car in New Britain and reportedly seized the two firearms, 450 bags of a heroin-fentanyl mix, more than one pound of marijuana and $1,160 in cash.

Prosecutors said Janicette Reyes helped operate her brother’s drug operation after he was locked up on the gun and drug charges.

Janicette Reyes was arrested in June 2019. That month a federal grand jury Hartford returned a 32-count indictment charging Ricardo Reyes, Janicette Reyes, Ortega and 12 associates with various narcotics trafficking and firearm possession offenses. On Oct. 1, 2021, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Ricardo Reyes and Ortega pleaded guilty to related charges. On Feb. 11, 2021, Ricardo Reyes was sentenced to 18 years in prison. On Dec. 27, 2021, Ortega was sentenced to 60 months.