Carlos Hernandez Sentenced in Fentanyl Trafficking Ring

BOSTON — Carlos Hernandez, 34, of Manchester, N.H., is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 30 months for his role in a sprawling fentanyl and heroin trafficking network that pumped deadly drugs into the streets of Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Hernandez pleaded guilty in October 2017 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper handed down the sentence yesterday in Boston federal court, adding three years of supervised release. The charge carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, up to life supervision, and a $1 million fine.

The takedown began on May 30, 2017, when law enforcement launched a sweeping operation targeting two major Lawrence-based drug trafficking organizations. One was allegedly run by Juan Anibal Patrone, the other by Ramon Gonzalez-Nival, who also served as Patrone’s supplier. Over 30 co-conspirators were arrested, including Hernandez and co-defendant Rory Connolly.

Hernandez acted as a key redistributor in New Hampshire for the Gonzalez-Nival ring. On February 25, 2017, he picked up twelve 10-gram units from one of Gonzalez-Nival’s couriers. Minutes later, during a traffic stop, police seized approximately 120 grams of suspected fentanyl from Hernandez and Connolly. The haul was enough to kill hundreds if distributed.

Patrone and Gonzalez-Nival remain in pretrial detention, having pleaded not guilty. Their trial is pending. Connolly, meanwhile, pleaded guilty in November 2017 and entered the Court’s RISE program, a rehabilitative alternative to incarceration.

The investigation was led by the DEA’s Cross Border Initiative, which includes the DEA, Massachusetts State Police, and local departments from Andover, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, and Wilmington. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Winkler under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, aimed at dismantling the nation’s most dangerous drug networks. All remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

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