Dominican national, connected to two drug incidents in less than two months, sentenced to prison

BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for distributing fentanyl and heroin.

Erotides Mendez, 50, a Dominican national previously residing in New York City, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Hillman to five years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. Mendez will be deported upon completion of his sentence. In November 2019, Mendez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute heroin and more than 40 grams of fentanyl, one count of distributing heroin and more than 40 grams of fentanyl and one count of possessing heroin and more than 40 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Mendez and co-defendant Albeiro Gomez, who previously pleaded guilty and is set to be sentenced on March 20, 2020, were arrested in December 2018.

Investigators intercepted communications to and from the defendants’ phones which evidenced their drug trafficking activities. Mendez was involved in the acquisition of heroin and fentanyl in New York and the transportation of these drugs for sale in and around Worcester. Gomez was a livery driver in Worcester who used his livery vehicle to procure and distribute drugs, meet with customers and to collect cash derived from drug sales.

In November 2018, law enforcement stopped a passenger van headed from New York City to Worcester, and observed Mendez – a passenger in the van – throw a bag containing approximately 150 grams of heroin from the van. In December 2018, agents stopped a car in which Mendez was a passenger and located approximately 150 grams of heroin and 138 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin.

In connection with this investigation, Freiber Betancourth, of Worcester, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison. Betancourth distributed heroin and fentanyl from the parking lot of his employer. In addition, Jonathan Bobadilla Rosa pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and identity theft charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2020.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Abely and John Mulcahy of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.