Local man who prepared and distributed drugs in MA and RI sentenced to five years in prison

PROVIDENCE – A Providence man who conspired with the leader of a drug trafficking conspiracy that imported hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine from the Dominican Republic and distributed them in Rhode Island and Massachusetts has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division Brian D. Boyle, and Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni.

Audi E. Diaz, aka Boku, 29, previously admitted to the Court that he worked closely with Ramon Delossantos, of Cumberland, R.I., to prepare and distribute multi-kilogram shipments of fentanyl and cocaine to mid-level distributors in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

As the result of a DEA and Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigation during the summer and fall of 2017 dubbed “Operation Panamera,” more than two-dozen people were arrested and at least 23 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, 11 kilograms of cocaine, 11 kilograms of marijuana and two kilograms of psilocybin mushrooms were seized.

Delossantos was identified by law enforcement as the leader of the drug trafficking organization. He arranged for the shipment of fentanyl and cocaine from the Dominican Republic and oversaw the distribution of the drugs to mid-level distributors in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

According to information presented to the Court, between August 10 and September 30, 2017, approximately 470 communications between Diaz and Delossantos were electronically intercepted by law enforcement. The conversations ranged in topic from Diaz arranging for numerous multi-kilogram purchases of fentanyl and cocaine from Delossantos for distribution to others, to Diaz borrowing equipment from Delossantos to prepare kilogram “bricks” of fentanyl and cocaine for delivery, to discussions between Delossantos and Diaz that Diaz take over Delossantos’ drug trafficking business either temporarily while Delossantos traveled outside of the country or on a permanent basis.

At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., sentenced Diaz to 60 months in federal prison, followed by a term of supervised release of 3 years.

Diaz, arrested and ordered detained on October 30, 2017, pleaded guilty on January 14, 2019, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and conspiracy with the intent to distribute cocaine.

Delossantos, arrested on October 2, 2017, and ordered detained in federal custody, pleaded guilty on June 14, 2018, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and conspiracy with the intent to distribute cocaine is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on June 14, 2019.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul F. Daly, Jr. and Milind M. Shah.