BOSTON – Rafael Hidalgo Rodriguez, 33, of Ponce, P.R., faced federal court in Worcester today for his involvement in a vast drug trafficking conspiracy. The Puerto Rican man admitted to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute large quantities of cocaine base, cocaine, heroin, and crack.
Rodriguez was charged along with 17 others in July 2020. The investigation stemmed from a fentanyl overdose in September 2018, leading law enforcement to probe a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Fitchburg. Court-authorized intercepts of phones used by the DTO helped identify suppliers of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl.
During the course of the investigation, agents seized over 1.8 kilograms of heroin and fentanyl mixture, 3.6 kilograms of cocaine, 50 grams of crack cocaine, a stolen handgun, drug manufacturing equipment, and $376,000 in cash. Rodriguez’s distribution activities involved between three and five kilograms of cocaine.
Anthony Baez was sentenced to 13 years in prison and five years of supervised release, while Pedro Baez faces sentencing on May 17, 2022. The conspiracy charge against Rodriguez could result in a life sentence, at least four years’ imprisonment, lifetime supervision, and a fine up to $10 million.
The investigation was conducted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which fosters multi-agency collaboration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter. For more information on the OCDETF program, visit here.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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