Candy-Shaped Fentanyl Kingpin Gets 15 Years

BOSTON – Deiby Felix, 41, of Lynn, Massachusetts, will spend the next 15 years in federal prison for peddling poison. The sentence, handed down yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris, is the latest blow to a large-scale drug trafficking organization (DTO) that flooded the North Shore with fentanyl and methamphetamine, often disguised as candy.

The bust, which originated with an overdose death investigation in Salem back in July 2023, revealed a sophisticated operation led by Felix, along with Emilio Garcia and Sebastien Bejin. Investigators uncovered a clandestine laboratory and stash location in Lynn, resulting in one of the largest single-location seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Massachusetts history. The November 2023 raids netted a staggering nine kilograms – 20 pounds – of pink, heart-shaped fentanyl-laced pills pressed to resemble sweets, aimed squarely at hooking vulnerable users.

The total haul exceeded 75 kilograms (198 pounds) of fentanyl and methamphetamine, alongside multiple kilograms of cocaine and dozens more of cutting agents like xylazine, a dangerous additive. Authorities estimate the street value of the seized narcotics topped $8 million – roughly eight million individual doses of death. Searches of Felix’s residence revealed over three kilograms of pressed pills, a firearm, and a fully operational drug lab crammed into a basement room. Industrial pill presses, mixing equipment, and other manufacturing tools were also recovered, painting a clear picture of a large-scale, profit-driven enterprise.

Felix pleaded guilty in February 2024 to possession with intent to manufacture and distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and other controlled substances, as well as possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. His co-conspirators have already faced justice: Sebastien Bejin received a 12-year sentence in May 2025, while Emilio Garcia was slapped with 18 years, also to be followed by five years of supervised release.

“This operation wasn’t just about moving drugs; it was about preying on addiction and endangering the community,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley in a statement. The investigation was a joint effort by the FBI, Massachusetts State Police, Essex County District Attorney’s office, and local police departments in Lynn, Lynnfield, and Salem. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit handled the prosecution.

The sentence against Felix sends a message, however belated, that those who profit from the misery of others will be held accountable. But with the fentanyl crisis continuing to ravage the nation, this one bust is just a dent in a much larger, more insidious problem. The Grimy Times will continue to track these cases and expose the individuals who are fueling the opioid epidemic, one deadly dose at a time.