Dominican national guilty of fentanyl trafficking, aggravated identity theft

BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to fentanyl trafficking and using the Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to obtain a driver’s license.

Santo Patricio Lugo Santos, 42, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, one count of false representation of a Social Security number, and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Jan. 21, 2020. Lugo Santos has been in custody since his arrest on Feb. 14, 2019.

According to charging documents, Lugo Santos made two sales of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in October 2016 and January 2017. Additionally, in July 2018, he used the Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license.

The charges of distribution of over 40 grams of fentanyl provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence of imprisonment to be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed, at least one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Lugo Santos will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The case was investigated by the OCDETF Strike Force, which consists of members of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Reading, Watertown, Braintree, Peabody, Waltham, Woburn, and Concord Police Departments. The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office and the Boston Police Department also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.