Massachusetts career criminal facing up to 20 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl at mall

BOSTON – A career criminal pleaded guilty last week in federal court in Boston to trafficking fentanyl while on supervised release for a previous federal conviction.

Robert Roscoe, 31, of Boston and Attleboro, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 21, 2022. Roscoe was indicted in July 2021.

“Despite his past encounters with the criminal legal system, Mr. Roscoe chose to continue engaging in illegal activity by trafficking deadly narcotics into our communities. Adding insult to injury, he was on supervised release at the time he engaged in this new criminal conduct,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “We have lost far too many people to the opioid crisis and that number continues to rise. Drug traffickers, especially ones who are career criminals, will be found and prosecuted by my office.”

“Today’s guilty plea is a direct result of the dedicated work of the ATF and our local, state and federal partners combating criminals that distribute fentanyl in our communities,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Division. “The ATF will continue to investigate individuals and groups who attempt to further the scourge of drugs and violence in the areas we serve.”

On Feb. 3, 2021, Roscoe conspired with co-defendant Ozair Pereira to distribute fentanyl to a cooperating witness at the Westgate Mall in Brockton. At the time of his conduct, Roscoe was on supervised release for a 2019 conviction out of U.S. District Court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Roscoe had been previously convicted of armed robbery, unlawful possession of a firearm, and assault and battery on a police officer.

The charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

U.S. Attorney Rollins; ATF Boston SAC Ferguson; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez; and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.