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Salem Man Pleads Guilty to Counterfeit Pill Trafficking
BOSTON – In a shocking turn of events, Kion Shepherd, 33, of Salem, pleaded guilty to participating in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that allegedly distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Shepherd and his accomplice, Raymond Kulakowski, 36, of Lynn, were charged with one count each of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencings for July 25, 2024 and September 3, 2024, respectively.
According to court documents, the DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area. Shepherd and Kulakowski are the eighth and ninth defendants to plead guilty in this matter.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James E. Arnold and Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
- Defendant: Kion Shepherd
- Criminal Charges: Conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
- City and State: Salem, Massachusetts
- Date: Guilty plea entered last week, sentencings scheduled for July 25, 2024 and September 3, 2024
- Sentence: Sentencings scheduled for July 25, 2024 and September 3, 2024
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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