Mexican national previously deported twice sentenced for role in Arizona, California, Massachusetts conspiracy involving at least 13 kilos of drugs

BOSTON – A Mexican national previously deported twice from the United States was sentenced in federal court in Boston for his role in a conspiracy to distribute kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine and launder the proceeds.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, 33-year-old Jesus Lopez Medina was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. In December 2024, Lopez Medina pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

According to court filings and proceedings, in August 2023, an investigation began into a drug-trafficking organization based in Mexico that sent kilograms of fentanyl and other narcotics via tractor trailer from the area of Ontario, Calif., to Massachusetts. Law enforcement allegedly began communicating with coconspirator Reginal Cazares, who was based in Arizona. In December 2023, Cazares allegedly directed law enforcement to deliver drug money to Lopez Medina in California. On Dec. 4, 2023, an undercover officer delivered $202,090 drug money, received from coconspirators in Massachusetts, to Lopez Medina in Ontario, Calif. In February 2024, Cazares allegedly directed law enforcement to pick up 13 kilograms of narcotics from Lopez Medina in California. On Feb. 16, 2024, Lopez Medina delivered 4 kilograms of fentanyl and 9 kilograms of cocaine to a cooperating witness in Ontario, Calif.

Cazares, along with two other co-defendants have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.

            United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the DEA Riverside (CA) Office, the DEA Bakersfield (CA) Office, the DEA Tucson (AZ) Office, the San Bernadino County (CA) Sheriff’s Department, the Inland Regional Narcotics Enforcement Team (CA), the Methuen Police Department, and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (Boston). Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

            This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.