Francis Manuel Santos Arias, Fentanyl Trafficking, Massachusetts 2023

Fentanyl Trafficking Plagues Massachusetts

A Lawrence man has been sentenced to 87 months in prison for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy that shook the streets of Massachusetts.

Francis Manuel Santos Arias, 25, was handed down the sentence by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl in October 2023.

According to court documents, Arias was identified as a cocaine and fentanyl distributor in January 2022, seeking customers in the greater Boston and Lawrence areas. During the investigation, Arias distributed a total of over 700 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness over the course of four controlled purchases.

Arias was indicted by a federal grand jury along with co-defendant Eddy Reyes Tejada in December 2022. Tejada was sentenced to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release in November 2023 after previously pleading guilty to his role in the drug conspiracy.

The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, with assistance from the Massachusetts Department of Correction, the Massachusetts State Police, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Fitchburg and Lunenburg Police Departments.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea E. Porter prosecuted the case, which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. The OCDETF Program uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States.

The case serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of fentanyl trafficking on communities across Massachusetts. As the investigation continues, law enforcement officials are urging residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

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