10K Fentanyl Pills: Lawrence Man Admits to Drug Run

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LAWRENCE, MA – Joshua Morales, 31, admitted in federal court today he was hauling a massive load of fake Percocet pills – 10,000 of ’em – when cops caught up to him. The pills, investigators believe, were cut with the deadly opioid fentanyl.

Morales pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute. He was initially busted back in August 2025 after law enforcement watched him leave a suspected drug mill in Methuen carrying a hefty orange bag. A traffic stop in Lawrence turned up the stash.

But the pills Morales was moving were just the tip of the iceberg. A raid on the Methuen location revealed a full-blown pill press operation. Cops seized kilograms of fake Adderall and Percocet, also laced with fentanyl *and* methamphetamine. They also found enough raw powders, blenders, scales, and binding agents to keep the operation going strong.

Morales is facing up to 20 years in the federal lockup, plus a minimum of three years supervised release after that, and a potential $1 million fine. Judge Patti B. Saris set sentencing for June 12, 2026.

The bust was a joint effort by the US Attorney’s Office, the FBI, Massachusetts State Police, and Methuen PD.