Man Charged with 2013 Drug-Related Murder in Hartford

On September 24, 2020, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Williams-Bey with causing the death of Valentin Santos Jr. through the use of a firearm.  The indictment alleges that Williams-Bey murdered Mr. Santos in relation to and in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and that he did so deliberately, maliciously and with premeditation.

Williams-Bey, formerly of East Windsor, has been detained in federal custody since February 2017 and is currently serving a federal sentence for a narcotics offense.  He appeared today via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish and entered a plea of not guilty.

If convicted of the charge, Williams-Bey faces a mandatory term of imprisonment of life, or death if the government seeks the death penalty in the matter.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department.  The Task Force includes members of the FBI, Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.