A Bristol man has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for trafficking narcotics and defrauding the COVID-19 relief program.
Terry Collins, 31, faced sentencing on Tuesday in federal court in New Haven where a judge ordered that his prison term be followed by four years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut.
Federal officials said Collins was implicated during an investigation conducted in 2022 by the DEA New Haven Task Force, the DEA Tactical Diversion Squad, the Waterbury Police Department and other law enforcement agencies. The investigation reportedly found that Gwayne Fisher, also known as “Fruit” and “Tank,” was trafficking narcotics in the Waterbury area while on federal supervised release.
Investigators used court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, physical surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics to allegedly determine that Fisher and others were selling large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, as well as counterfeit oxycodone and alprazolam (Xanax) pills, officials said. Collins allegedly supplied fentanyl to Fisher’s organization and maintained a location on Yale Street in Waterbury to store, process and package narcotics, according to authorities.
Collins, Fisher and two associates were arrested on April 13, 2023, the same day a search of the Yale Street location allegedly turned up drug-processing equipment, about three kilograms of loose fentanyl and approximately 75,000 individual bags containing fentanyl, federal officials said. Additionally, the search of a West Main Street apartment in Waterbury, which Fisher reportedly used as a stash location, turned up about 16 kilograms of cocaine, three kilograms of fentanyl, 125,000 individual glassine bags containing fentanyl and $7,574 in cash, officials said. A search of Fisher’s residence on Beverly Avenue in Waterbury and his vehicle also revealed about $175,110, according to authorities.
Federal officials said Collins was also found to have defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) that was established during the pandemic. In May 2021, Collins submitted documentation to the U.S. Small Business Administration that Platinum Liquor, a store he operated in Waterbury, had 14 employees and an average monthly payroll of $59,612.
According to authorities, investigators found that Platinum Liquor only had one employee and that the store did not generate as much money as Collins claimed, officials said.
Based on the “misrepresentations,” Platinum Liquor reportedly received a PPP loan of about $149,000. Authorities allege that Collins made additional misrepresentations in loan forgiveness documents and the loan was subsequently forgiven.
On Oct. 2, 2024, Collins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of money laundering related to the PPP loan scheme. He is free on a $100,000 bond and is required to report to prison on Oct. 28.
The judge who sentenced Collins has not yet determined how much restitution he will have to pay, officials said.
In January, Fisher was sentenced to 217 months in prison for drug trafficking offense and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
