Man sentenced in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine drug ring after 160+ pounds of meth, guns, ammo seized

BOSTON – A member of a nationwide drug trafficking ring was sentenced today in federal court in Boston. During the investigation over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as an AK-47, a Glock with no serial number, two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns and over 4,200 rounds of ammunition were seized. An illegal marijuana grow operation with hundreds of marijuana plants was also dismantled.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, 48-year-old Eric Daneault of Manchester, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to eight years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On Feb. 16, 2024, Daneault pleaded guilty to one count of a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The superseding indictment also charged 10 other defendants with controlled substance offenses, firearm offenses and money laundering offenses. 

In approximately October 2020, investigators received information about drug trafficking activities of a large-scale methamphetamine supplier in the Boston area. In late 2020, investigators identified Reshat Alkayisi as a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker who distributed multi-pound quantities to multiple co-conspirators throughout the New England area. Daneault was identified as one of Alkayisi’s methamphetamine distributors. In May 2021, Alkayisi distributed approximately over 5.3 kilograms of methamphetamine to Daneault.

Daneault is the fourth defendant to be sentenced. All other defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and Katherine Ferguson of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.