CONCORD, NH – Robert Raniery Arias, 35, a Dominican Republic national with ties to Lawrence, Massachusetts, is headed to federal prison for a decade after being convicted of flooding New Hampshire with fentanyl. Arias received a 120-month sentence (10 years) on Tuesday, the culmination of a case exposing a brazen fentanyl trafficking operation.
According to court documents and statements delivered in court, Arias wasn’t shy about his trade. He directly sold narcotics to an undercover officer on two separate occasions. The bust came to a head on September 8, 2016, at the Rockingham Mall in Salem, New Hampshire, when Arias attempted to deliver a staggering 500 grams of fentanyl to the undercover operative. That was enough to land him in cuffs, but the legal process took years to resolve.
Arias initially pleaded guilty on January 31, 2019, but the sentence was delayed. Now, with the judge’s gavel falling, Arias’s future looks bleak. Not only does he face a lengthy prison term, but he’s also likely to be deported back to the Dominican Republic upon his release. He isn’t the only one feeling the heat; co-conspirator Carmen Jose previously received a 42-month sentence in February 2018.
“The 10 year sentence imposed in this case serves as a warning to fentanyl traffickers,” declared U.S. Attorney Scott W. Murray. “Those who choose to bring this deadly drug into the Granite State should be aware that they face very substantial federal prison terms. Law enforcement agencies are working twenty-four hours a day to identify, prosecute, and incarcerate those who distribute fentanyl and other opioids in New Hampshire.”
The DEA is particularly focused on out-of-state actors fueling the opioid crisis. “New Hampshire is in the midst of a devastating opioid crisis, as deaths from fentanyl climb,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “The DEA will continue to use every resource available to identify those like Mr. Arias, who are coming from out of state to contribute to this crisis. DEA’s top priority is combatting the opioid epidemic by working with our local, county, state and federal law enforcement partners to bring to justice anyone who distributes this deadly drug.”
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration, Salem Police Department, and Nashua Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Seth R. Aframe handled the prosecution. The case serves as a grim reminder of the relentless flow of fentanyl and the ongoing battle to stem the tide of opioid-related deaths in New Hampshire and across the nation.
Related Federal Cases
- Greenfield Man Gets 7 Years for Fentanyl Run · Massachusetts
- Fentanyl Kingpin Soto Baez Gets 8+ Years · Massachusetts
- Methuen Man Pena Admits Heroin, Fentanyl Trafficking & Gun Charge · Massachusetts
- Bay State Gun Builder Gets 70-Month Sentence · Massachusetts
- Jose Nunez Gets 8 Years for Oxycodone Conspiracy · Massachusetts
Key Facts
- State: New Hampshire
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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