⏱ 2 min read
A massive cocaine trafficking operation was brought down in Massachusetts, with ringleader Leonardo Lara, 45, of Lawrence, sentenced to 10 years in prison. The scheme, which involved co-conspirators Merced Navarro Morfin and Leandro Martinez, was busted in April 2022, when Lara was stopped on Interstate-84 in Sturbridge with $40,000 in drug proceeds hidden in baby-wipe containers. An investigation revealed that Lara was in possession of $230,000 in drug proceeds, which he sought to send to Mexico.
The operation involved the distribution of nine kilograms of cocaine, with eight kilograms removed from Lara’s residence in Methuen by Martinez and Navarro Morfin just 36 minutes after Lara’s traffic stop. Another kilogram of cocaine and $196,000 in cash were found in the car driven by Martinez and Navarro Morfin. Lara, who has previous federal convictions for bank larceny and money laundering, was convicted by a federal jury in October 2025.
Lara’s co-conspirators have also been sentenced, with Navarro Morfin receiving four years in prison and Martinez receiving 23 months in prison. The sentences were handed down by U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs, with Lara’s sentence including five years of supervised release.
The investigation and conviction of Lara and his co-conspirators are a significant blow to cocaine trafficking in Massachusetts. The operation highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking operations in the state.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: Massachusetts
- Location: MA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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