BOSTON – A devastating fentanyl trafficking operation has been dismantled in Boston, leaving a trail of destruction and loss of life in its wake. Four Boston-area men have been arrested and charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine.
The defendants, Anderson Ernesto Andujar Echavarria, 31, of Dorchester; Waner Bernabel Presinal, 37, of Dorchester; Carlos Fabal, 52, of Roxbury; and Freddy Artemio Guerrero Soto, 29, of Boston, were taken into custody on September 13, 2024, and are being held pending a hearing scheduled for September 24, 2024. According to court documents, Andujar was identified as a large-scale drug trafficker distributing various narcotics, including tens of thousands of pressed fentanyl tablets and powdered fentanyl, cocaine, and crystal methamphetamine to undercover law enforcement.
The sheer scale of the operation is staggering, with authorities seizing 30,000 blue pressed fentanyl pills and 500 grams of powder fentanyl during last week’s arrests. Additional suspected controlled substances, packaging materials, and a money counter were also seized from the residences of Andujar, Bernabel, and Fabal. The investigation, which began in November 2023, was a collaborative effort between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy said, “These arrests underscore our unwavering dedication to combating the fentanyl crisis that continues to devastate our communities. The sheer quantity of fentanyl these defendants allegedly distributed was enough to take tens of thousands of innocent lives.” DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau added, “DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling large-scale poly drug trafficking organizations like this one operating in the Boston area. This organization is responsible for distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Fentanyl alone is causing deaths in record numbers, and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison.”
Fabal, a previously convicted felon, was identified as an alleged fentanyl pill supplier to Andujar. He was convicted in 2007 in federal court in Boston of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and sentenced to 67 months in prison and five years of supervised release. The investigation has sent a clear message to those involved in the fentanyl trade: you will be held accountable for your crimes and brought to justice.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and Boston Police Department.
Related Federal Cases
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- Joshua Morales Admits to Fentanyl Pill Trafficking, Lawrence MA, 2023 · Ohio
- Joshua Morales Admits Fentanyl Pill Trafficking, Lawrence MA, 2023 · Massachusetts
- Joshua Morales Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking, Lawrence MA, … · Ohio
- Felipe Antonio Reyes Eduardo Gets 2 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking · New Hampshire
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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