Leading member of Bristol County drug trafficking organization with a prior conviction sentenced to prison in Fall River Superior Court

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn, III has announced that a 35-year-old man pled guilty in the Fall River Superior Court Friday to gun and drug charges.

Joshau Nazario of Taunton was sentenced by the Court to serve 5 to 8 1/2 years in the State Prison followed by one year of probation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Daniel Walsh.

In March 2020, Massachusetts State Police began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization in the Taunton area.  Investigators sought and were granted court approved wiretaps as part of the investigation.  Phone calls were monitored in both January and April of 2022. 

At the conclusion of the investigation, multiple search warrants were executed.  Nazario was one of the initial targets.  The investigation revealed that he lived on Shores Road in Taunton with his girlfriend and co-defendant.  The investigation revealed that the defendant was part of a larger drug trafficking organization.  During court approved monitoring of Nazario’s phone, both he and his girlfriend/co-defendant were recorded speaking of trafficking and selling narcotics.  The house on Shores Road was determined to be the “point house” of the larger drug trafficking organization, where many sales took place. 

A search warrant was executed on April 27, 2022, at Nazario’s apartment. Police seized a firearm, large capacity feeding device, ammunition, approximately 160 grams of Fentanyl, 17 grams of oxycodone pills and 48 grams of cocaine.  The defendant was at work at the time of the search warrant but was arrested a few hours later.  Nazario was held in custody for approximately two years during the pendency of the case before being released for 60 days in 2024 after his bail was posted.  The defendant returned to jail on August 5, 2024, after his bail was surrendered by the surety.  A few days after his return to jail, the Dartmouth House of Correction found Nazario to be in possession of K2 and suboxone that he had brought back into the jail.

“The defendant was convicted of selling large amounts of fentanyl and cocaine as a part of a state police investigation in the greater Taunton area. The investigation lasted approximately two years and involved court approved wiretaps.  The defendant has a prior conviction for drug dealing and also brought contraband, including drugs, into the jail after a short period of release.  He was one of the leading members of the drug trafficking organization who was identified during the investigation,” District Attorney Tom Quinn said.