A man was sentenced on Wednesday for for illegally importing a tablet machine to produce oxycodone pills.
Jason Oliviera, 35, of Bridgeport, received three years of probation, the first six months of which he must serve in home confinement. U.S. District Judge Stefan Judge Underhill also ordered Oliviera to perform 50 hours of community service.
The sentencing was announced by Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 23, 2013, Oliviera and David Wolvovsky were arrested at Wolvovsky’s home in Fairfield after they received delivery of a package containing a tableting machine that had been ordered from China.
On that date, Wolvovsky stated to investigators that he and Oliviera had purchased the machine through an individual he had met online, and that they had also purchased what he had believed to be a large quantity oxycodone powder from the same individual.
Wolvovsky then stated that, before the machine had arrived, he had tested the powder and determined that it was not true oxycodone powder. A subsequent search of Wolvovsky’s residence revealed a package containing approximately one kilogram of the fake oxycodone powder.
The search also revealed opiate test kits, packaging materials, tablet dying/imprinting machinery and $21,034 in cash.
On March 13, 2015, Oliviera waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully importing a tableting machine.
On July 24, 2014, Wolvovsky pleaded guilty to the same charge. On November 21, 2014, he was sentenced to four years of probation, including six months of home confinement. He also was ordered to pay a fine of $2,000, forfeit the $21,034 that was seized at the time of his arrest and perform 100 hours of community service.
This matter was investigated by the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and Homeland Security Investigations. The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad includes members from the Greenwich, Shelton, Hamden, Vernon, West Hartford, Bristol and Willimantic Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.