A 104-page court affidavit, which serves as the basis for the arrests of eight men who have been charged with federal drug offenses, provides information on the drug trafficking investigation known as Operation Juice Box. Among those men are former Newtown Police Sergeant Steven Santucci and Newtown dispatcher Jason Chickos.

“The investigation began with an anonymous letter that described the steroid manufacture and distribution of a drug trafficking organization, the head of which was Newtown Police Department Sergeant Steven Santucci, 38, of Waterbury. The letter was accompanied by a sample of Santucci’s steroids,” according to the affidavit, which was signed by a US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent and endorsed by a judge.

Federal officials initially focused their probe on the men who bought steroids from Santucci for redistribution, who were then arrested, and who then provided extensive information about the drug ring, allowing for further investigation and the eventual arrest of Santucci, according to the affidavit.

In seeking a search warrant for Santucci’s residence, the authorities stated that based on evidence that they had uncovered, including records of Santucci using Western Union wire transfers to send $103,000 to China between June 2011 and September 2013, they believed Santucci to be illegally importing controlled substances, manufacturing controlled substances, and laundering the proceeds of such importation, manufacture, and distribution from his Waterbury residence.

The investigators characterize Santucci’s criminal operation as a “drug trafficking organization.”

On April 29, federal officials arrested Santucci and Chickos, 46, of Bridgeport, who is a civilian dispatcher. Chickos worked at the Newtown Emergency Communications Center, which is located at the police station.  

The two men are charged with conspiracy to distribute steroids, which carries a maximum prison term of ten years and a fine of up to $500,000. Santucci and Chickos have been released on $100,000 nonsurety bonds each. They will be scheduled to appear in federal court for arraignments after they are indicted.

Affadavit Details

The affidavit includes the contents of electronic messages between Santucci and Chickos involving illicit drug transactions between the two men. Those messages used various code words.

The document describes a drug transaction between the two men believed to have occurred on the night of April 25, 2015, at the Newtown Police Department. That allegation is based on wiretaps of text messages and surveillance.

Also, based on wiretap evidence, the affidavit states that Santucci and Chickos communicated electronically via text messaging on February 6, 2015, during which Santucci told Chickos to leave money for a drug purchase in Santucci’s desk drawer at the police station. Santucci later canceled that arrangement, explaining that he did not have Chickos’s drug order ready for delivery, according to the affidavit.

As part of their probe, the investigators made multiple undercover purchases of the illicit drugs, the affidavit states.

The document describes the surveillance techniques employed to monitor an alleged drug transaction on March 30, 2015, involving Santucci, which occurred in a parking lot of Griffin Hospital in Derby.

Money

According to the affidavit, from May 2011 to November 2014, Santucci received direct bank deposits of his police salary totaling approximately $156,893.

Additionally, Santucci made cash deposits of more than $308,000 into his bank accounts, it states.

The deposits which were beyond the $156,893 are believed to be narcotic and counterfeit prescription sale proceeds, according to the authorities.

Also, from April 2011 to November 2014, Santucci charged approximately $310,648 on two credit cards. The charges included travel to Europe, South America, and Africa, including more than $30,000 in charges for an African safari, as well as domestic travel to 23 states and the District of Columbia, according to investigators.

Also, $25,818 was spent on Celebrity Cruises. During the period, Santucci charged more than $111,000 for lodging at expensive resorts and hotels, according to the affidavit.

Investigators learned that Santucci had been paying for and receiving shipments of steroids packaging materials since at least 2011.

Also, Santucci had been using a cellular telephone application called WhatsApp to conduct communications about steroids orders with his customers, the court document states.

The drug trafficking investigation included federal officials’ seizures of packages of steroid materials shipped from China and addressed to Santucci’s Waterbury residence, according to the documents.

According to the affidavit, “Santucci imports bulk wholesale steroids in powder and liquid forms from China and other places. Santucci then manufactures and repackages the steroids for retail sales in Connecticut. Santucci processes the raw steroids into capsules and liquid injectable forms for use by body builders, both professional and amateur. Santucci manufactures and distributes wholesale quantities of steroids and is one of the principal targets of the DEA’s investigation in this case,” it states.

According to the affidavit, “Chickos is a close associate of Santucci. Chickos is a distributor of steroids for Santucci, purchasing thousands of dollars of steroids at a time,” it states.

“Chickos distributes steroids at a fitness club in Fairfield … Chickos has been identified as a primary steroids distributor for Santucci,” according to the affidavit.

During September and October 2014, DEA investigators learned that the source and manufacturer of “V Labs” and “Crox Gear” steroids was Santucci, who distributed those steroids through others.

Also, according to the affidavit, “It was reported to the DEA, that in July 2011, Santucci received a capsule filling/tableting machine at his [Waterbury] residence.”