Tucson Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking Ring

A Tucson, Ariz., man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with his role in distributing, and laundering the proceeds of, truckloads of fentanyl and cocaine.

Reginel Cazares, a/k/a ‘Junior,’ 37, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five kilograms or more of cocaine) and money laundering conspiracy.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for May 6, 2026. Cazares was indicted on June 13, 2024.

According to court filings, in August 2023, a cooperating witness told law enforcement about an individual he knew as ‘Junior’ – later identified as Cazares – based in Tucson, Ariz., who organized multi-kilogram deliveries of fentanyl and cocaine from California to Massachusetts.

The kilograms were driven by tractor trailer from the area of Ontario, Calif., to Massachusetts. In November 2023, and again in December 2023, Cazares directed the cooperating witness to pick up drug proceeds in Massachusetts from two co-defendants, with approximately $600,000 in drug proceeds picked up in Tewksbury, Mass., at Cazares’ direction.

On Feb. 16, 2024, Cazares directed the cooperating witness to pick up four kilograms of fentanyl and nine kilograms of cocaine in Ontario, Calif., which were to be driven to Massachusetts and the Carolinas. The narcotics were intercepted by law enforcement.

Cazares’ prior conviction includes a 2012 conviction for cocaine conspiracy in the District of New Jersey, for which he was sentenced to 57 months in prison.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five kilograms or more of cocaine) provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million.

The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved, whichever is greater.

Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

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