Pedro Colon Amadeo, Crack Cocaine Distribution, Massachusetts 2018

Holyoke Man Pleads Guilty to Crack Cocaine Offense

BOSTON – In a major blow to the city's narcotics trade, Pedro Colon Amadeo, 36, a Holyoke man, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to distributing crack cocaine.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Amadeo distributed drugs in Holyoke between November 2017 and January 2018, resulting in a seven-month law enforcement investigation into cocaine and heroin trafficking in Holyoke by members of La Familia gang.

The investigation led to Amadeo's arrest, which was the culmination of a long-term effort by local, state, and federal authorities to disrupt the gang's activities.

Amadeo, the defendant, faces up to 40 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Holyoke Police Chief James M. Neiswanger made the announcement today.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of Lelling's Springfield Office is prosecuting the case.

The sentencing is scheduled for September 4, 2019. Amadeo's plea marks a significant step in the ongoing effort to combat the opioid crisis in Western Massachusetts.

The case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Massachusetts State Police, and Holyoke Police Department.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/holyoke-man-pleads-guilty-crack-cocaine-offense