Crime
Man pleads guilty for role in manufacturing, distribution of tens of thousands of fentanyl pills in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina.
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to his role in a fentanyl trafficking organization involved in the manufacturing and distribution of tens of thousands of fentanyl pills that spanned across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, Jasdrual a/k/a “Josh” Perez, 36, pleaded guilty to a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Nov. 12, 2024. Perez was charged by criminal complaint on Feb. 14, 2022, and has remained in custody since.
In September 2019, investigators began a multiyear investigation into a drug trafficking organization led by Perez that was based out of Providence, Rhode Island. This drug trafficking organization was known to manufacture large quantities of fentanyl pills designed to appear like pharmaceutical grade oxycodone/Percocet pills and distribute them and other controlled substances throughout the United States. It was learned that Perez used encrypted applications such as WhatsApp and FaceTime to further his drug trafficking activities and supervise his drug trafficking enterprise. In addition, Perez personally participated in the trafficking of kilogram quantities of fentanyl and the pressing of kilograms of fentanyl powder into pills designed to appear like pharmaceutical pills.
In February 2022 during a search of the property that Perez and his associates used to manufacture fentanyl pills, two industrial grade pill presses, approximately 20 kilograms of powdered fentanyl and pressed fentanyl pills, and other items, including kilograms of pill binder used in the large-scale manufacturing of clandestinely pressed fentanyl pills were seized. During a separate search of Perez’s residence, over $62,000 in drug proceeds were also seized.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Special assistance in the investigation was provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston and Providence Field Offices; Drug Enforcement Administration, Providence Field Office; Rhode Island State Police Department; and Cranston, Warwick and West Warwick Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey E. Weinstein and Kunal Pasricha of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative.
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MassTexan
August 1, 2024 at 4:09 pm
Dude should be executed. How many lives were lost and families ruined because of his actions? No hope for dope dealers like this…very rare that they find god
Robert Parks
August 2, 2024 at 9:44 am
I agree should be given the death penalty and it should be carried out within 24 hrs of conviction
Hawk evil
August 1, 2024 at 5:18 pm
It’s not always the dealer’s fault, think about this, ppl that get addicted to the opiate pills that the DRS give and then they aren’t doing what they need them to do, they will DO WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO, OR FIND A REPLACEMENT FOR IT, THEY WILL STOP AT NO ENDS OR NO MEANS TO GET THAT FIX, PPL DIE EVERYDAY FROM THE OPIATES WHETHER THEY ARE PRESCRIBED TO YOU OR NOT…. I’M NOT SAYING THAT WHAT HE DOES IS RIGHT, BUT IT’S A NATION WIDE EPIDEMIC…. CAN’T STAND HOW PPL ARE DOWN ON STREET DEALERS BUT NOT THE DR’S…. & I DO FEEL FOR THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE LOST MEMBER’S N THEIR CHILDREN FROM THIS….
Brandon
August 1, 2024 at 5:55 pm
Doctors are just drug dealers with a license
Ann perry
August 1, 2024 at 5:29 pm
I’m with him this guy should get mad at a. Hard rock place sh9uld have given him to Putin,my youngest son died because of greed.He is no different than Gangsters he knew this was a killer,now treat him As a killer,take his citizenship away he’s not an American
Teeje
August 1, 2024 at 9:42 pm
Every one has a choice and every one should know the difference between right and wrong. yoir choices are yours alone. The dealer is responsible for dealing and dealing alone in my oponion.
linda gunter
August 2, 2024 at 6:47 pm
Look all the people that are bringing the crap into the United States and it’s our Government allowing it to happen, I just lost my Husband last week to Fytenol, but our border’s are wide open,I think he needs to be put up and hung upside down and pepper sprayed and forced to take a lot of Fetynol and leave his behind there to suffer from his drugs
Madelyn
August 2, 2024 at 11:00 pm
People in general use some other type of drug before using Fentanyl. I take pain meds daily because of an illness not because I have a sickness. I know ppl that will pay for any type of drug that will make them high.