Michael "Mike Mike" Luciano was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison Tuesday for supplying street-level dealers in the New London area with heroin he obtained from sources in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Luciano, 33, of New London was arrested Nov. 14, 2017, and was one of 20 people indicted on heroin trafficking charges in December 2017. He had remained in custody while his case was pending.

The investigation, known as Operation Domino Effect, began after an increase in overdoses, including two deaths involving a heroin and fentanyl mix that occurred in January 2016.

Using court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, federal authorities learned that Luciano regularly obtained large quantities of heroin from sources in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and distributed the drug through a network of street-level dealers in southeastern Connecticut.

Authorities said Luciano used his mother's apartment at 93 State Pier Road and his girlfriend's apartment at 394 Jefferson Ave. as bases for his operations. Luciano also appeared to maintain a "stash house" at 99 Ford St. in Providence, according to court documents.

On June 27, 2018, Luciano pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. He faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 120 months when he appeared before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford for sentencing. Shea imposed a 144-month sentence, followed by five years of supervised release.

Luciano's criminal history includes a federal conviction in the District of Rhode Island for possession with intent to distribute heroin. In September 2010, he was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment for that offense.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations, Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force - East and the New London, Norwich, Waterford and Attleboro, Mass., and Freetown, Mass., police departments.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Dave Vatti and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.