Dominican National in Massachusetts pleads guilty after 30,000 pressed fentanyl pills, 500 grams of fentanyl seized

BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully present in the United States has pleaded guilty to trafficking thousands of fentanyl pills.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, Freddy Artemio Guerrero Soto, 29, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2025. In September 2024, Guerrero Soto was charged along with three co-conspirators.

According to court documents, in September 2024, an undercover agent ordered 30,000 blue pressed fentanyl pills and 500 grams of powder fentanyl from Ernesto Andujar Echavarria, who allegedly agreed to provide the pills and powder the next day. It is further alleged that shortly before the sale was to occur, Andujar Echavarria informed the undercover agent that an associate of his would deliver the drugs. A short time later, it is alleged that Guerrero Soto met with the undercover agent and provided him with a backpack containing a shoe box with a large number of blue pills and bags of brown powder. Guerrero Soto was arrested and during a search of his person, he was found to be in possession of a Dominican identification card. Together, the blue pressed pills and bags of brown powder seized from Guerrero Soto contained over 2 kilograms of fentanyl.

Andujar Echavarria has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl carry mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years to life in prison; no less than five years of supervised release; and a fine of up to $10 million. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of an imposed sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court