Largest seizure of fentanyl in history of New Bedford results in state prison sentence in Fall River court

A 35-year-old New Bedford fentanyl trafficker was sentenced to state prison recently in Fall River Superior Court, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn announced.

Ramon Genao pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with Trafficking in Excess of 100 Grams of Fentanyl and will serve 8 to 10 years. Genao is reportedly not a US citizen. A federal detainer has been filed and he will likely be deported upon completion of his state prison sentence.

On February 19, 2021, Genao was a target of a search warrant executed by New Bedford Police at 2100 Phillips Road. During pre-raid surveillance, police observed him enter into a motor vehicle and drive off. Police stopped his vehicle and arrested him for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

A search of Genao yielded 92.4 grams of fentanyl in his pocket, two cell phones and apartment keys. Police then went to the apartment. In Genao’s bedroom, police located $2440 in cash and a receipt for a $1500 money order sent to the Dominican Republic. Police also located an additional 115 grams of fentanyl in 16 plastic bags, two sifters, four Ziploc bags with residue and a Nutra-bullet mixer containing drug residue inside a Similac can in a kitchen cabinet. There was also a digital scale and a drug press.

According to New Bedford Police, on the night of February 19, 2021, Detectives produced the largest seizure of fentanyl in the history of the city and by memory the largest drug seizure ever by the Narcotics unit. Approximately 7.2 kilos of fentanyl with a street value of $400,000, was confiscated in multiple apartments at 2100 Phillips Road.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Matthew Lopes and the state prison sentence was imposed by Judge Raffi Yessayan.

“The defendant was trafficking in a significant amount of fentanyl, a drug that has led to an increase in overdoses in our community during the last decade. The prison sentence is appropriate based upon the facts, and the defendant will be subject to deportation upon completing his sentence,” District Attorney Quinn said.