Massachusetts man sentenced for role in drug trafficking organization where 74,000+ counterfeit pills seized

BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced Friday in federal court in Boston for participating in a drug trafficking organization that allegedly distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Christopher Tejeda, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Dennis F. Saylor IV to one year and a day in prison followed by three years of supervised release, with the first year to be served in home confinement. In February 2024, Tejeda pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.

According to court documents, the DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area.

On behalf of the DTO, and at the direction of his relative, Javier Bello, Tejada picked up, transported and delivered controlled substances to various individuals as well as collected and delivered proceeds from drug sales. This included collecting counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl from Lawrence Nagle Sr.,. Bello, meanwhile, supervised Tejeda as well as several other individuals in the DTO.

The investigation resulted in numerous seizures of controlled substances, including: over 74,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing more than 24 kilograms; 591 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine; 1,000 counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl; and 101 counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.

Bello pleaded guilty in May 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9, 2024. In August 2024, Nagle Sr., was sentenced to 151 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.