NH Meth Kingpin Faces Decades

⏱ 3 min read

Ariel Castillo-Solano, 36, is staring down serious time after running a multi-pound meth operation throughout New Hampshire, primarily in the Rochester area. Federal agents busted the Dominican Republic national in January 2025 following a sting operation involving a massive drug deal. Castillo-Solano, operating under the alias Jose Antonio Santiago, used a stolen identity to peddle the deadly drug since early 2024, according to the DEA.

The operation began unraveling in October 2024 when undercover agents and a confidential informant started buying meth from Castillo-Solano. The buys escalated quickly. By January, he was setting up a $69,000 transaction: 15 pounds of meth, 21 ounces of cocaine, and 40 grams of fentanyl. He didn’t risk handling the delivery himself, relying on an associate to move the product.

On January 24, 2025, the deal went down in a Seabrook parking lot. Castillo-Solano directed an undercover officer to expect delivery by Uber, courtesy of Joel Castillo-Soto, identified as his “brother.” When Castillo-Soto arrived with the drugs, DEA agents moved in, arresting both men. Castillo-Solano’s deception – posing as a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico – couldn’t save him.

Castillo-Solano pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. He’s scheduled for sentencing June 18, 2026, and faces a minimum of three years, but could get up to twenty years in federal prison. The status of Castillo-Soto remains unclear.