Massachusetts man accused of distributing tens of thousands of fentanyl pills in Massachusetts, New York sentenced; 50,000 pills, pill presses seized

BOSTON – A Massachusetts man was sentenced today for distributing tens of thousands of pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, 36-year-old Angel Joel Diaz, a/k/a “Guero, of Haverhill, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to nine years in prison. In April 2024, Diaz pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and methadone.

In January 2023, an investigation began into Diaz’s fentanyl pill manufacturing and distribution operation. An undercover officer contacted Diaz posing as a potential drug customer seeking to buy counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl. On Jan. 11, 2023, Diaz provided the undercover officer with 208 pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Diaz told the undercover officer that the pills were made with “fentanyl” and they were “knocking people down in New York.”

On two subsequent occasions, Jan. 27, 2023 and Feb. 7, 2023, Diaz distributed thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing suspected fentanyl to the undercover officer. On Feb. 14, 2023, Diaz sent a photo of fentanyl pills to the undercover officer and said, “even making it with a mask makes you want to vomit and everything.”

On Feb. 15, 2023, Diaz was arrested while carrying a shopping bag containing 31,142 fentanyl pills separated into seven plastic bags. During a subsequent search of Diaz’s Haverhill residence, two pill presses; thousands of pills; powder containing fentanyl and methadone; stamps used to make counterfeit pills; several masks; and chemicals used in manufacturing pills were discovered.

In all, more than 6 kilograms of substances containing fentanyl, 381 grams of substances containing methamphetamine, and 81 grams of substances containing methadone were seized from Diaz. Approximately 50,000 counterfeit pills.

United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Haverhill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.