Anthony Holloway, Fentanyl Distribution, Massachusetts 2021

In a shocking turn of events, a Methuen man has pleaded guilty to distributing deadly fentanyl in federal court in Boston. Anthony Holloway, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to investigators, Holloway and his co-defendant Steven Perez were involved in a fentanyl distribution operation. Over the course of several months, agents investigated Perez and Holloway's activities, resulting in the seizure of 61 grams of fentanyl from Perez's residence.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl carries a maximum penalty of 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 other statutory factors.

Holloway's sentencing is scheduled for April 26, 2022, but before that, he will participate in the Court-run RISE (Repair, Invest, Succeed, Emerge) Program, a rehabilitation program designed to aid defendants who have pleaded guilty and are under pretrial supervision.

Perez, Holloway's co-defendant, was sentenced in February 2021 to 70 months in prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit.

The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston Field Office, with assistance from the Methuen Police Department. Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell, Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Boston Field Office, and Methuen Acting Police Chief Kristopher McCarthy made the announcement.

The case highlights the ongoing struggle against the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts. As the state continues to grapple with the crisis, law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to identify and prosecute those responsible for distributing deadly fentanyl.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/methuen-man-pleads-guilty-distributing-fentanyl-0