Fall River fentanyl dealer sentenced to state prison

A 24-year-old Fall River man arrested in July 2018 for distributing large amounts of fentanyl, was sentenced to serve two to four years in state prison last week, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.​

Jesuz Velez pleaded guilty last Wednesday in Fall River Superior Court to a single count indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute a class A drug.

On July 27, 2018, Detectives of Fall River Police Departments Vice and Intelligence Units executed a search warrant on Fourth Street in Fall River. The targets of the search warrant were Montana Rose Fernandes, 20, and Jesus Velez, 22.

Upon entering the building and approaching the door, which was equipped with a security camera, Detectives knocked and announced their presence and purpose. A female voice was heard asking “Who is it?” Detectives knocked again and announced ‘police’. The door remained unanswered. Detectives breached the door and located Fernandes placing an item into a dog food bin. Both Fernandes, who dropped a small clear baggie from her shorts while being detained, and Velez, were secured and a search of the apartment began.

FRPD discovered cash and drugs in hiding spots throughout the apartment. Located inside the dog food bin was a clear plastic bag of fentanyl. 3 more bags of fentanyl were located behind a picture frame. A Large bundle of cash was found behind a matching picture frame and under a mattress. A scale, a box of clear plastic baggies and black elastics for bundling were also confiscated. The security camera and monitor were also confiscated. Approximately 369 grams of fentanyl was seized.

Fernandes was sentenced to a 6-12 year state prison sentence for trafficking in fentanyl ​on January 3, 2020.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Kristen Wiley and Daniel Walsh, and the state prison term was imposed by Judge Thomas McGuire.