Connecticut Man Sentenced to Nine Years on Methamphetamine Conviction

UTICA, NEW YORK - Joseph Lastrina, age 39, of Norwalk, Connecticut, was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.

Lastrina admitted to directing both Robert Sanger and Thaddeus Price to complete drug deals that Lastrina arranged. Those November 2023 transactions collectively involved 177 grams of pure methamphetamine. A search warrant executed at Sanger's home led to the recovery of an additional 217 grams of pure methamphetamine.

Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 3-year-term of supervised release and a $30,000. Judge Hurd previously sentenced Sanger to 16 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. Price will be sentenced on March 19, 2025.

The DEA investigated this case, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan S. Reiner and Ashlyn Miranda are prosecuting.