Milton Elias Lara, Fentanyl Distribution, Massachusetts 2019

Milton Elias Lara Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution in Massachusetts

BOSTON — In a devastating blow to the Merrimack Valley’s fight against opioid trafficking, a Dominican national has pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl.

Milton Elias Lara, 42, a resident of Methuen, Massachusetts, made a guilty plea in federal court in Boston to distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

According to court documents, Lara was identified as a key player in a fentanyl trafficking operation in the Merrimack Valley during an investigation conducted by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. A search of his apartment yielded a staggering 289 grams of fentanyl, 24 grams of cocaine, and drug packaging tools and materials.

Lara’s charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle, and Tewksbury Police Chief Timothy Sheehan made the announcement, praising the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations and the Andover, Billerica, Lawrence, Lowell, Methuen, and North Andover Police Departments.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit will prosecute the case, which is set for sentencing on August 31, 2020.

The guilty plea marks a significant victory in the ongoing battle against opioid trafficking in Massachusetts and serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of such crimes.

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