Jorge Medina Pleads Guilty to Oxycodone, Cocaine Conspiracy

Haverhill resident Jorge Medina, 25, admitted in federal court today to running a steady flow of oxycodone and cocaine across state lines, pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. The guilty plea, entered before U.S. District Judge Steven J. McAuliffe in Concord, N.H., marks a key win in a long-running federal crackdown on a multi-state drug ring operating between Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Medina stood silent as prosecutors detailed how court-authorized wiretaps captured him arranging bulk drug deals, chasing down suppliers, and coordinating deliveries. Investigators intercepted multiple calls where Medina negotiated for shipments, demonstrating a calculated effort to feed addiction and profit from pain. One intercepted exchange led directly to the arrest of a buyer in possession of nearly 100 oxycodone pills—pills the buyer confirmed came from Medina, who had allegedly supplied hundreds more in prior transactions.

The case stems from a September 23, 2015, federal indictment that named six individuals in a sprawling drug conspiracy. Alongside Medina, the accused include Mara Morillo, 41; Franklyn Morillo, 41; Juan Rojas, 32; Justin Bartimus, 35, formerly of Methuen, Massachusetts; and Michael Lally, 28, of Salem, New Hampshire. All either reside in or operated out of the Greater Haverhill area, using its proximity to state borders to evade detection.

Juan Rojas faces additional charges far beyond drug distribution. He is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and is separately indicted on conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Unlike the others, Rojas has not pleaded guilty. His trial is set for January 18, 2017, and could expose deeper layers of armed criminal activity tied to the drug operation.

Every other defendant has already pleaded guilty and now awaits sentencing. Medina’s day in court comes first, with his sentencing scheduled for March 8, 2017. Federal prosecutors, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Farley, are expected to push for maximum penalties under federal sentencing guidelines, citing the scale of distribution and the danger posed to communities in both states.

The investigation was spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad, with critical support from the Haverhill and Methuen Police Departments and the Massachusetts State Police. Funded through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), the probe dismantled a network that treated prescription pills and cocaine as commodities. With the wiretap evidence, controlled buys, and cooperating witnesses, federal authorities are sending a message: cross state lines with drugs, and the feds will come knocking.

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