BOSTON – Antonio Denziah Fernandes, 22, of Brockton, is facing serious federal charges after allegedly continuing to deal drugs and illegally obtaining a handgun while already under indictment in state court. Federal authorities took Fernandes into custody yesterday, adding to his existing legal woes.
According to a federal indictment unsealed this week, Fernandes allegedly received a Glock Model 48, 9mm pistol in January 2022 – while actively facing state charges for trafficking more than 10 grams of fentanyl. This brazen disregard for the law is a central component of the federal case against him.
But the gun isn’t the only problem. The indictment further alleges that Fernandes distributed and possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl in January and February of 2022. That’s a significant quantity of the deadly opioid, enough to potentially kill thousands. Investigators believe Fernandes continued his criminal activity even while facing state prosecution.
If convicted on the charge of illegally receiving a firearm while under indictment, Fernandes could face up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The fentanyl distribution charges carry far steeper penalties – a minimum of five years, and up to 40 years behind bars, along with a potential lifetime of supervised release and a $5 million fine.
The case was jointly announced by Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Boston Field Division. The ATF was aided by multiple local law enforcement agencies, including the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office, the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, and police departments from Brockton, Taunton, and surrounding towns. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan C. Cleary is leading the prosecution.
This investigation is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. Officials emphasize that the indictment contains allegations, and Fernandes is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. However, the evidence presented suggests a pattern of dangerous and illegal behavior that authorities are determined to address.
Related Federal Cases
- Juan Alexis Diaz Pena, Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking, NH, 2023 · Massachusetts
- Naomi Ruth Smith, Child Sex Trafficking, M.D. Florida, 2023 · Florida
- R. Wayne Murphy, Smuggling and Trafficking, GA, 2023 · Florida
- Alberto Correa-Martinez, Narcotics Trafficking, MA, 2013 · Massachusetts
- Jamel Bolden, Gun Threats, MA, 2023 · Massachusetts
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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