Previously convicted Dominican national admits to role in distributing fentanyl laced with horse tranquilizer in New York, Massachusetts, Vermont

BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in the Bronx, N.Y. has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with his role in a fentanyl distribution hub in the Bronx that sent fentanyl laced with xylazine, a horse tranquilizer, to Massachusetts.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, 36-year-old Jairo Collazo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Sept. 17, 2025. Collazo was charged by criminal complaint in April 2024 and later indicted. 

According to court records, Collazo operated a fentanyl distribution hub out of a basement in the Bronx, from which he distributed fentanyl to destinations including Boston, Mass.; Fitchburg, Mass.; Springfield, Mass.; Syracuse, N.Y; and the State of Vermont. Collazo and his coconspirators whom he called “employees” used the basement in the Bronx to package fentanyl into glassine wax paper bags for distribution. Collazo traveled to Massachusetts on two occasions, in December 2024 and January 2024, to distribute fentanyl to a witness working with law enforcement. On April 12, 2024, during a search of the Bronx basement, fentanyl packaged for distribution, materials used for cutting fentanyl with other substances and bottles of xylazine were recovered. Collazo used xylazine to cut the fentanyl and offered to sell it to the cooperating witness. More than 2 kilograms of fentanyl was seized from Collazo.

According to court records, in 2021, Collazo pleaded guilty in New York Supreme Criminal Court to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree (heroin) and was sentenced to two years incarceration.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Collazo lacks lawful status in the United States is subject to deportation after completion of any sentence imposed. 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.

            United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Fitchburg Police Department and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman is prosecuting the case.