Massachusetts Dominican national accused of money laundering after 14 kilograms of fentanyl seized

BOSTON – A Dominican national has been arrested for his involvement in a money laundering conspiracy.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, 32-year-old Jose Miguel Pena de la was charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy. He appeared in federal court on March 18, 2025.

According to the charging documents, between April 17, 2020, and May 14, 2020, Pena de la Cruz delivered $340,080 on behalf of a drug trafficking organization based in Massachusetts so that the money could be laundered on behalf of a DTO based in Mexico.

During the course of the conspiracy, it is alleged that Pena de la Cruz laundered $340,080 by delivering bulk cash drug proceeds packaged in bundles to undercover law enforcement after DTO members communicated with the undercover officers to set up the transaction. Throughout the investigation more than 14 kilograms of fentanyl from the DTO for which Pena de la Cruz delivered the drug proceeds were seized. 

The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the laundered funds. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting this case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.