⏱ 3 min read
Juan Riquerbin Garcia Rivera, a 44-year-old Dominican national, was convicted by a federal jury in Boston on June 12, 2026, for conspiring to distribute large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, as well as possessing guns to further his drug trafficking enterprise in Lowell, Massachusetts. Garcia Rivera, who was previously deported in 2007, was found to have conspired with his nephew, Christian Raphael Paredes, to distribute the narcotics. The conviction is the result of a large-scale investigation that uncovered a massive stash of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, as well as guns and cash, in Garcia Rivera’s home.
During the investigation, it was discovered that Garcia Rivera had been communicating with a Mexican drug supplier to obtain the narcotics, which were then shipped to him in girls’ backpacks to avoid detection. The search of his home yielded over 19,000 fentanyl pills, two kilos of methamphetamine, cocaine, and acetyl fentanyl, as well as pressing and mixing equipment. Four handguns, two of which were loaded, and hundreds of bullets were also recovered, with three of the guns found next to the drugs and pressing equipment.
Garcia Rivera’s phone records revealed that he had been threatening to use the guns on a drug dealer over a dispute about drug quality. Additionally, over $30,000 in cash was seized from his bedroom, with thousands of dollars found in a dresser drawer under a loaded gun. The conviction is a significant blow to the fentanyl trafficking trade in Massachusetts, and Garcia Rivera faces sentencing on November 10, 2026.
The investigation was led by federal authorities, including the DEA, FBI, and ATF, and highlights the ongoing efforts to combat the fentanyl epidemic in the United States. Garcia Rivera’s case is just one example of the large-scale fentanyl trafficking operations that are being dismantled by law enforcement agencies across the country.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: Massachusetts
- Location: MA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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