WORCESTER, MA – Ismael Maysonet, 44, of Southbridge, is trading the streets for a federal cell after being sentenced to 15 years in prison today for his role as chief lieutenant in a ruthless drug trafficking organization. The operation flooded North Shore and Central Massachusetts with deadly combinations of cocaine and fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman handed down the sentence, along with five years of supervised release, following a six-day jury trial that concluded in February 2025.
Maysonet was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and fentanyl, along with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The case, launched in September 2022, exposed a sophisticated network that routinely exploited the U.S. mail to move narcotics. Investigators traced large quantities of cocaine arriving via packages from Puerto Rico, destined for the organization’s distribution hubs. Fentanyl, in turn, was shipped out of state, including to Florida, furthering the reach of their poisonous trade.
Federal prosecutors painted Maysonet as far more than a street-level dealer. He was the linchpin, the mid-level manager responsible for coordinating the entire flow of drugs. This included receiving shipments from Puerto Rico, negotiating with suppliers, transporting both narcotics and the dirty money generated from their sales, and even packaging fentanyl for further distribution. The operation, led by Jonathan Pizarro Gonzalez and Isaac Gonzalez, relied heavily on Maysonet’s ability to keep the product moving and the money flowing. When a package containing cocaine was intercepted by law enforcement, Maysonet brazenly approached mail carriers, both on the street and inside the post office, demanding information about its whereabouts.
The audacity didn’t stop there. During the February 2025 trial, Maysonet compounded his offenses by threatening a federal witness in open court, a move that clearly didn’t sway Judge Guzman. The investigation yielded a substantial haul: approximately nine kilograms of cocaine and 800 grams of fentanyl seized from various members of the DTO. Maysonet alone is responsible for moving over 700 grams of fentanyl and three kilograms of cocaine into the hands of dealers and users.
Maysonet isn’t the only one facing consequences. Jonathan Pizarro Gonzalez and Isaac Gonzalez both pleaded guilty in January 2025, receiving sentences of 10 and 15 years respectively in June 2025. The takedown was the result of a collaborative effort led by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley, along with Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. Support was also provided by the United States Marshals Service, Massachusetts State Police, Southbridge Police Department, Lawrence Police Department, Essex County Sherriff’s Department and Worcester County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen W. Hassink and Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit secured the conviction and sentencing. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, a multi-agency approach designed to dismantle the most dangerous criminal organizations in the country. While the details presented are based on court documents and allegations, the remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. But for Maysonet, the game is over.
Related Federal Cases
- Luis Lopez Gets 15 Years for Cocaine, Fentanyl Empire · Massachusetts
- Fentanyl Kingpin Timothy Neal Pleads Guilty, Faces 20 Years · Massachusetts
- Stoughton Drug Kingpin Gets Over 11 Years for Cocaine Smuggling and Relief Fraud · Massachusetts
- Southbridge Drug Kingpin Sentenced to 15 Years · Massachusetts
- Worcester Coke Dealer Gets 7 Years · Massachusetts
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News