Connecticut Man Gets Six Years Over Mario-Shaped Fentanyl

A federal judge in Connecticut sentenced Ronnell Rogers, 33, to 72 months in prison on May 11, 2026, for narcotics offenses tied to the distribution of pills shaped like a Super Mario character. U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley imposed the 72-month term in Bridgeport, followed by three years of supervised release. The court allocated 63 months for fentanyl distribution and nine months for violating conditions of a prior sentence for narcotics distribution and firearm possession.

Court records show Rogers pleaded guilty on Oct. 10, 2025, to distribution of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute. The case began after a controlled purchase of fentanyl and a traffic stop on May 2, 2024, during which officers recovered fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin packaged for distribution.

New Haven police described some methamphetamine pills as “shaped like cartoon characters,” and investigators specifically noted tablets molded to resemble a Mario head. Authorities warned the pills “could be mistaken for candy.” Rogers had been released from prison in March 2024 and was serving a three-year period of supervised release when he was arrested two months later.

Prosecutors noted fentanyl is often found in other illicit drugs, including methamphetamine and cocaine, and that tablets designed to look like familiar characters or candy raise the risk of accidental ingestion, particularly for young people. Law enforcement also reported seizures in New York state in 2022 of recreational drugs bearing the Super Mario name.

Federal prosecutors brought charges tied to the May 2024 activity, and those charges, along with the prior conviction violation, were reflected in the sentence handed down in May 2026. The court docket records the prison term and the subsequent supervised release requirement.