BOSTON – A Fall River man was sentenced today for his role in a drug distribution conspiracy involving thousands of oxycodone pills.
Austin Gonsalves, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 41 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gonsalves was also ordered to forfeit $16,130.
Gonsalves pleaded guilty in May 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He was arrested and charged along with five others in July 2023 for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking organization that distributed oxycodone pills across Southeastern Massachusetts.
The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023. Between at least February 2023 and May 2023, Gonsalves obtained hundreds of pills at a time, allegedly from co-defendant Kenneth Veiga, in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars and redistributed the pills to others.
On one occasion alone, Gonsalves paid $22,000 to obtain 800 oxycodone pills for further distribution. A search of Gonsalves’ Fall River residence in July 2023 resulted in the seizure of approximately $16,000 in cash and approximately 400 oxycodone pills.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and his team worked alongside law enforcement agencies to dismantle the organization. The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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