District of New Hampshire

            Concord – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Joshua Smith, 31, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, a drug trafficking organization that authorities allege was led by Sergio Martinez, employed the defendant to sell fentanyl to customers from various New England States, including New Hampshire.  On each day that the defendant worked, the Martinez organization provided him with at least one 200-gram bag of fentanyl and expected him to sell it and return approximately $6,000 in proceeds.  The defendant worked for the Martinez organization on various days. On October 20, 2017, the defendant was arrested while selling drugs for the organization.  At the time, he possessed a firearm that he admitted to carrying to avoid being robbed by drug customers.

            Smith previously pleaded guilty on December 18, 2018.

            “Fentanyl traffickers who carry firearms present an enhanced danger to the public.” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “The law enforcement community is united in its effort to stop the flow of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into New Hampshire.  In order to protect the community, we will seek lengthy prison sentences for fentanyl traffickers, particularly those who use guns to further their criminal activities.”

            “Fentanyl is causing deaths in record numbers and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle.  “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Smith accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic.”

      This investigation was conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.

            The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.

            The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Seth R. Aframe.

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            CONCORD- Darrell Self, 44, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 102 months in prison for heroin trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 23, 2017, New Hampshire State Troopers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle Self was driving on Interstate 95 near Portsmouth.   During the course of the traffic stop, Self threw an object over the guardrail of the highway. Officers later recovered the object and determined that it was a bag containing approximately 40 grams of heroin.  A subsequent pat-down search of Self revealed that he had a wad of cash totaling $1,106 in his pocket.      

            Self previously pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to distribute on December 3, 2018.

            “Our major highways provide ready access for the transportation of heroin and other dangerous drugs into New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Traffickers who transport the drugs face enhanced enforcement efforts and stiff prison sentences.  We will continue to work closely with New Hampshire State Police and all of our law enforcement partners in order to bring this deadly trade to a halt.”

            This matter was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarad Hodes.

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           CONCORD - Christian Taveras-Polanco, a/k/a Lemuel Cruz Cepeda, 40, of Littleton, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

           According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 6, 2018, law enforcement officers surveilled Taveras-Polanco driving around the Littleton, New Hampshire, area in a gold Hummer registered to Lemuel Cruz Cepeda and stopping at two residences for a brief time. A traffic stop was conducted on the Hummer, and Taveras-Polanco initially identified himself as a citizen of the United States named Lemuel Cruz Cepeda. A consent search of the vehicle revealed 140 grams of cocaine. Taveras-Polanco was arrested and later admitted that he is a citizen of the Dominican Republic named Christian Taveras-Polanco, not a United States citizen named Lemuel Cruz Cepeda. Officers obtained a search warrant for Taveras-Polanco’s residence and located 302 additional grams of cocaine there.

            Taveras-Polanco is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2019.

            “Drug trafficking causes untold damage to communities throughout New Hampshire,” said  U.S. Attorney Murray.  It is of vital importance that we push back aggressively against the sale of these deadly substances. We are fully committed to working with our law enforcement partners throughout the state to identify and prosecute those who are involved in distributing cocaine and other dangerous drugs.”

            “We’re thankful for the successful prosecution  of this individual, which should be seen as a sign  of the seriousness with which federal law enforcement takes the threat posed by criminal illegal aliens who prey on U.S. citizens and the communities they hide within,“ said Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent In Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

            This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the New Hampshire State Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarad Hodes.

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            Concord – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today that nine individuals have been charged with participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy.  The indictments are the culmination of a year-long investigation by the FBI in coordination with federal, state, and local authorities in New Hampshire.

            On March 6, 2019, the following individuals were charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, cocaine and crack cocaine:

• George Cruz, 30, Nashua, New Hampshire;
• Lawrence Fortenberry, 65, Nashua, New Hampshire;
• William Greenleaf, 42, Nashua, New Hampshire;
• Donald Johnson, 34, Nashua, New Hampshire;
• Isaiah Kinard, 29, Manchester, New Hampshire;
• Marvin Morrison, 36, Nashua, New Hampshire;
• Terray Morrison, 30, Nashua, New Hampshire;
• Melvin Nooks, Jr., 28, Fitchburg, Massachusetts; and
• Melvin Stanford, 40, Manchester, New Hampshire

            As a result of a coordinated operation involving federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, all of the above-listed individuals have been arrested.

            If convicted, Morrison, Stanford, Cruz, and Nooks Jr. face a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum sentence of life, as well as a fine of up to $10 million. The other defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.

            “Drug traffickers endanger the health and safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “The arrest and prosecution of drug traffickers is a top priority for this office.  We are working closely with the FBI and all of our law enforcement partners to stop the distribution of drugs in order to protect the citizens of the Granite State.”

            “As alleged, these individuals distributed crack cocaine in New Hampshire for several years and disrupting drug trafficking organizations like this one is a critical part of our mission. The FBI will continue to focus our energy, and expertise to help our law enforcement partners stem the tide of drugs flooding our streets,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.

            The indictments are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

           This investigation was the product of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.

            The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the FBI New Hampshire Safe Streets Gang Task Force; the Nashua Police Department; the New Hampshire State Police; the Manchester Police Department; New Hampshire Probation and Parole; DEA; Massachusetts State Police Department; Portsmouth Police Department and the Federal Protective Service.  The United States Marshals Service also assisted in the investigation.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky, and Anna Krasinski.

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            CONCORD - United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today that Deandray Buckley, 27, of Belleville, Michigan, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, Buckley was part of an interstate scheme with others to steal people’s personal identifying information, including social security numbers and bank account information.  Buckley obtained this identification information from his accomplices and online and then used it to obtain fake driver’s licenses with other people’s identifying information and his or an accomplice’s photograph.  Buckley and an accomplice used the fake driver’s licenses to impersonate bank customers and withdraw or attempt to withdraw money from those bank customers’ accounts.  When entering a bank branch, Buckley or an accomplice wore slings on their arms or bandaged their fingers together in case bank tellers asked why the signature on the withdrawal slip did not match the account owners’ signature on file at the bank. 

            Between October 2017 and February 2018, Buckley or an accomplice entered over 17 bank branches in New Hampshire, Kansas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Rhode Island and stole or attempted to steal over $90,000 from other people’s bank accounts.  On February 27, 2018, Buckley was arrested by the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department after attempting to withdraw $6,000 from another person’s bank account at a Citizen’s Bank branch in Salem.  Branch employees recognized Buckley from previous internal fraud alerts, denied the transaction, and called the police.  In addition to identifying information from the known fraud victims, Buckley and an accomplice’s cell phones contained bank account information or social security numbers of at least 52 other individuals.

            Buckley pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft.  He will be sentenced on June 25, 2019. 

            Another alleged participant in the scheme is charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas.  A defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

            “Identify theft and fraud crimes cause very real damage to their victims,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “We take these fraud crimes very seriously and work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute fraudsters who victimize citizens of the Granite State.”

            “The deliberate use of someone else’s identity for financial gain creates considerable impacts for victims,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Inspector in Charge, Joseph W. Cronin of the Boston Division.  “The loss of time and money among other things, can be devastating.  The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to work diligently to keep our customer’s personal information secure.”  

            This matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, and the Overland Park Kansas Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter from the District of New Hampshire and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley from the District of Kansas.

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            CONCORD – Stephen Marando, 58, formerly of Franklin, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 66 months in prison for fentanyl trafficking charges, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 13, 2017, Marando and another individual drove from Franklin, New Hampshire, to Lawrence, Massachusetts in order to buy fentanyl.  After they obtained the fentanyl and were on their way back to Franklin, the New Hampshire State Police conducted a traffic stop on their vehicle.  During the course of the stop, the other individual attempted to discard a package containing 91 grams of fentanyl that they had been picked up in Lawrence.

            Marando pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute on July 24, 2018.   

            “Traffickers who transport fentanyl into New Hampshire should understand that they face serious consequences in federal court” said U.S. Attorney Murray.   “Prison sentences await those who trade in this deadly drug. In order to protect our citizens, law enforcement will continue to focus its efforts on stopping the flow of fentanyl into the Granite State.”

            “This synthetic opioid is 50-100 times more powerful than heroin and we are not going to idly stand by and let more friends, family members and neighbors get addicted, or die of drug overdoses. Together, with our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to use every tool at our disposal to tackle the opioid crisis head on, and put individuals like Mr. Marando behind bars. The goal is and always will be to stem the flow of illegal drugs and reduce crime,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.

            This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Hampshire State Police, and the Laconia Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Anna Krasinski is prosecuting the case.

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            CONCORD - Jessica M. Teixeira, 41, of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in federal court today to wire fraud and money laundering charges, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, between December 2015 and November 2017, Teixeira defrauded two New Hampshire investors by selling them a series of securities that were supposedly guaranteed and would generate high rates of return.  Teixeira represented herself as a solicitor of high-yield investment funds with connections to investment groups raising funds associated with domestic and foreign real estate developments, who solicited financing through private investors rather than banks.  In fact, Teixeira's claims to be connected to high-level investment groups were false, the investment contracts and notes she sold were worthless, and they generated no returns.  Teixeira would simply convert the invested funds to her own personal use and benefit, without returning any of the invested funds.  In total, the Teixeira obtained approximately $296,250 from the two investors. 

            A sentencing date for Teixeira was not scheduled during the plea hearing.

            “Those who peddle fraudulent investment schemes deprive their victims of their hard-earned money for personal benefit,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “This case is an example of federal law enforcement’s combined effort to identify and prosecute those who commit financial fraud in New Hampshire.”

            “Ms. Teixeira’s conduct is a reminder to those who invest that integrity is not found behind every door. Those who defraud investors to unjustly enrich themselves will pay a hefty price,” said Special Agent in Charge Kristina O’Connell, of IRS Criminal Investigations in Boston.  “We are proud to bring our financial expertise to joint investigations of this type to help prevent future victims of investment schemes.” 

            This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Davis and Anna Dronzek.

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            CONCORD - Jose Rafael Soriano, 28, of Lynn, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for aiding another in an illegal effort to purchase firearms, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced. 

            According to court documents and statements made during the prosecution of the case, on July 15, 2015, Soriano, and three friends, Michael Younge, Adrian Aleman and Tasha Gardner, visited a federally licensed firearms dealer in Hooksett, New Hampshire.  Of the four, only Gardner was legally eligible to buy handguns.   Soriano and Younge, with Aleman’s help, solicited Gardner to buy two handguns on their behalf.  Gardner agreed to assist and attempted to purchase the two guns for Soriano and Younge.  In connection with that attempt, Gardner filled out a form legally required for all intrastate over-the-counter handgun purchases on which she falsely certified that she was the “actual purchaser” of the two handguns, when she was really attempting to buy them for Soriano and Younge. The store never transferred the firearms because its employees became suspicious and declined to complete the transaction.    

            All of the individuals involved in this crime pleaded guilty.  On July 30, 2017, Younge was sentenced to serve five years in prison.  On March 13, 2017, Gardner was sentenced to three years of probation.  On April 7, 2017, Aleman was sentenced to two years of probation.

           Soriano previously pleaded guilty on October 12, 2018.

            “In order to keep our communities safe, it is vital to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Those who illegally possess firearms present a real danger to public safety.  We will continue to be aggressive in our efforts to prevent criminals from obtaining guns and to prosecute those who illegally buy guns for criminals.”  

            This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Manchester Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Debra M. Walsh.

            This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national initiative undertaken by the U.S. Department of Justice to reduce gun crime in America through, among other things, community outreach and vigorous prosecution of firearms offenses.

 

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            CONCORD - Leonardo Aybar, 35, formerly of Lawrence, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in federal court to participating in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy and illegally reentering the United States, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, from December of 2016 through February of 2017, Aybar conspired with Emmanuel Encarnacion, also formerly from Lawrence, to sell approximately 95 grams of fentanyl to an undercover New Hampshire State Police detective inside the Rockingham Mall in Salem, New Hampshire.  

            At the time of the offense, Aybar was unlawfully in the United States.  He previously had been deported to the Dominican Republic in 2010.

            Aybar is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2019.  Aybar is subject to potential deportation to the Dominican Republic after he completes his prison sentence.  Co-conspirator Encarnacion previously was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison.     

            “Those who unlawfully distribute fentanyl in New Hampshire should understand that they will be prosecuted aggressively,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “In order to protect the safety of our community, we will work closely with all of our law enforcement partners to identify, prosecute, and incarcerate those who bring this deadly substance into the Granite State.”

            This matter was investigated by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the New Hampshire State Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Cole Davis.

 

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            CONCORD- Blake Ruggiero, 44, of Salem, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for tax evasion, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.  

            According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendant has owned and operated Romano’s Pizza in Salem since 1994. The defendant paid a substantial portion of wages to Romano’s employees in cash and failed to declare these wages to the Internal Revenue Service in order to reduce his tax liability.  The defendant kept multiple sets of books that were seized as part of a search warrant.  These documents showed the amounts that the defendant paid in cash but did not report.   As a result of the defendant’s conduct, between 2011 and 2016, the defendant failed to pay to the IRS $621,614.88 of employment-related taxes.        

            Ruggiero previously plead guilty on November 27, 2018.

            “As we approach the tax filing season, this case is a sobering reminder that tax evasion is a serious crime,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Those who act dishonestly to avoid paying their fair share of taxes undermine the integrity of the tax system.  We will continue to work with the IRS to identify and prosecute those who violate our tax laws.”         

            “Our nation's tax system requires all of us to pay what we owe, or else our society cannot function,” said Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigations in Boston.  “This is an appropriate sentence for an individual who failed to pay significant employment taxes owed by his restaurant.  Those who skirt the law in this manner gain a competitive advantage that is unfair to honest taxpayers.  Violators will be prosecuted, punished and obligated to repay their taxes, along with substantial penalties and interest.”

            This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Aframe.

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            CONCORD - John F. Kelekci, 35, of Pittsfield, New Hampshire, was sentenced in federal court on Thursday to serve 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

             According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in late 2016, the DEA and the Postal Inspection Service investigated numerous parcels mailed from Las Vegas, Nevada, to New Hampshire suspected of containing methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers also investigated parcels mailed from New Hampshire to Las Vegas, Nevada, suspected of containing United States currency, and money transfers from New Hampshire to Las Vegas. Eventually, law enforcement officers identified Edward Espejo as the individual in Las Vegas who was shipping methamphetamine to New Hampshire in return for money transfers or packages of cash mailed to him.

            On December 19, 2017, a Priority Express Mail parcel was mailed from "Brian C Sullivan" at an address in Las Vegas, to a business in Suncook, New Hampshire. On December 20, 2017, an employee of the business contacted local law enforcement to report concerns that the parcel contained illegal narcotics. Police responded to the business and discovered that the parcel contained a plastic vacuum-sealed bag containing 123.9 grams of 100 percent pure methamphetamine. After interviewing witnesses at the business, law enforcement identified the defendant as the intended recipient of the parcel and determined that, earlier in the day on December 20, 2017, the defendant had been waiting at the business for a parcel to arrive, but had departed the business before the mail arrived. Further investigation revealed that the day before the package was shipped, the defendant had wired $2,400 to Espejo in Las Vegas as payment for the drugs.

            In January of 2018, the defendant drove from New Hampshire to Las Vegas and met with

            Espejo in person. While in Las Vegas, the defendant was wired money by several New Hampshire residents. On January 16, 2018, the defendant mailed two packages to New Hampshire, each containing more than five grams of actual methamphetamine. The first package was intercepted and seized pursuant to a search warrant. On January 20, 2018, the defendant flew home to New Hampshire, leaving behind the car he had driven to Las Vegas at Espejo's house.

            On March 9, 2018, the defendant was arrested in New Hampshire by local police following a vehicle chase. During a search of the vehicle the defendant was driving, police seized multiple items, including $6,150 in cash, a Wal-Mart money transfer receipt for $1,500 with Edward Espejo's name on it, and 27.8 grams of 100 percent pure methamphetamine.

            Records obtained in the investigation confirmed hundreds of telephone contacts between the defendant and Espejo, as well as multiple money transfers to Espejo and one of Espejo’s associates.    

            Kelekci previously pleaded guilty on September 27, 2018.

            Espejo previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.  Two other defendants in this conspiracy, Michael Bean and Mark Moore, are also awaiting sentencing.        

            “This case highlights the emergence of methamphetamine as a lethal substance that threatens the health and safety of New Hampshire communities,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Traffickers will use any available means, including the U.S. Mail, to transport their deadly products across the country, making them available for sale on our streets. As is apparent from the lengthy sentence imposed in this case, those who choose to bring methamphetamine into New Hampshire should understand that they face severe consequences for this unlawful conduct.”    

                “DEA is committed to bring to justice those that distribute methamphetamine,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle.  “DEA and its local, state and federal partners will do everything in our power to keep this highly addictive drug off the streets of New Hampshire.”

            “The sentence imposed should give fair warning that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service will seek justice for those who traffic illegal narcotics through the U.S. Mail,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Service's Inspector in Charge, Joseph W. Cronin of the Boston Division.  “This highly addictive drug has no place in our communities.  We will continue to identify and investigate those who engage in this type of drug trafficking."

            This matter was investigated by the DEA and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Davis.

            This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.  

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              CONCORD - Grant Michallyszyn, 22, of Nashua, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a hotel room in Nashua where Michallyszyn was staying.  During the search, law enforcement seized two handguns, nine rounds of ammunition, digital scales, and various drugs, including over 39 grams of fentanyl.  Under federal law, it is unlawful to possess a firearm to protect one’s drug trafficking activities or the location from which one distributes narcotics. 

            Michallyszyn is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2019.

            “The illegal sale of fentanyl poses a serious and well-known risk to public health and safety” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “When fentanyl dealers use firearms to further sales, the danger to the public is greatly increased.  Accordingly, the aggressive prosecution of armed fentanyl dealers will continue to be a priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”        

            “Today Mr. Michallyszyn finally accepted responsibility for illegally possessing firearms to protect his stash of narcotics in pursuit of his drug trafficking activities. This case is another example of how the FBI will continue to work in lock-step with our law enforcement partners to eliminate guns, drugs and violence from our neighborhoods,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Boston Division.

            This matter was investigated by the FBI and Nashua Police Department, with assistance from the New Hampshire Attorney General's office.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski.

            The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes. 

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            CONCORD - Jason Sfara, 44, of Concord, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for possession of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine with intent to distribute, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

             According to court documents and statements made in court, parole officers attempted to conduct a parole inspection of Sfara's apartment in Concord on May 15, 2018, and Sfara fled to the roof of the building. The Concord Police Department responded to provide assistance and arrested Sfara on the roof. Officers ultimately obtained a search warrant for Sfara's apartment and found an array of illegal drugs including 107.8 grams of fentanyl, 32 grams of cocaine, and 20 grams of methamphetamine, along with digital scales and other drug distribution paraphernalia.

            Sfara previously pleaded guilty on November 26, 2018.

            “In New Hampshire, drug trafficking has created the most serious public health hazard in living memory and also the greatest challenge for law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “I commend the Concord Police Department for its efforts to remove these deadly substances from the streets of our Capital City.  We continue to work closely with all of our law enforcement partners to identify, prosecute, and incarcerate those who choose to endanger our community by selling dangerous illegal drugs.”

            This matter was investigated by the Concord Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarad Hodes. 

 

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            CONCORD – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Keith Baker, 24, of Littleton, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, during an ongoing drug trafficking investigation that included wiretaps of certain telephones, investigators learned that on April 8, 2018, Baker intended to travel from New Hampshire to a location in Massachusetts to purchase fentanyl. The Woodstock, New Hampshire, Police Department later seized approximately 41.3 grams of fentanyl from a vehicle in which the defendant was a passenger. The investigation revealed that from February 23, 2018, and continuing through April 8, 2018, Baker ordered fentanyl from drug distributors in Massachusetts on various occasions. He then redistributed that fentanyl to customers in New Hampshire.

            Baker is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2019.

            “Fentanyl trafficking has inflicted damage throughout New Hampshire. Dealers who transport this deadly substance into the state should be aware that they will be detected, arrested and prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “We will continue to work closely with all of our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of illegal drugs.”

            The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the Drug Enforcement Administration; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky, Seth R. Aframe and Debra M. Walsh.

            This investigation was conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.

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            CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that a federal jury found Eleazar Flores-Mora, 32, a citizen of Mexico, guilty of reentering the United States after deportation.  The verdict was returned on Wednesday, March 6, 2019.        

            According to trial exhibits and witness testimony during the two-day jury trial, Eleazar Flores-Mora, a citizen of Mexico was originally encountered in Manchester, New Hampshire in September of 2009 by agents with the Department of Homeland Security who were investigating persons believed to be in the county illegally.   Flores-Mora was subsequently found by an Immigration Court to be present in the United States illegally and was deported from the United States in March, 2013.  Flores-Mora was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations Officers when they encountered him in Manchester again on August 28, 2018.

            Flores-Mora was convicted of one count of reentry after deportation.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17, 2019 and is likely to be deported from the United States after serving his sentence.

            “In order to protect the integrity of the immigration system, those who enter the United States illegally after previously being deported are subject to prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. 

            “We’re very pleased that justice has been done in this case,” said Todd M. Lyons, Acting Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) for the Boston area of responsibility. “Illegally re-entering the U.S. after having been removed previously is a serious violation of federal law.  We appreciate the U.S. Attorney’s strong commitment to prosecuting those who would continue to disrespect U.S. immigration law and the rulings of U.S. immigration judges.”           

            This matter was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  Assistance also was provided by United States Citizen and Immigration Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Helen W. Fitzgibbon.

 

 

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            CONCORD - United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today that Brian Sanborn, 54, of Franklin, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to attempted escape and witness tampering.

             According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 14, 2018, Sanborn called his girlfriend from the Strafford County House of Corrections.  At the time, Sanborn was detained having been indicted on federal charges related to the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Sanborn was scheduled to go to federal court the next day, May 15, 2018, to change his plea.  During the recorded phone call, Sanborn instructed his girlfriend to call his mother and to follow the transport van to and from Strafford on May 15 because “something might fall out of that . . . van and you might need to pick something up.”

            On May 15, 2018, after pleading guilty to distributing methamphetamine and while being transported back to the Strafford County House of Corrections, Sanborn attempted to escape the transport van by prying open the door to the cage inside the van with a six-inch piece of metal that he had smuggled into the van.  Sanborn’s actions were recorded on video cameras in the van and the deputies transporting Sanborn apprehended him before he could flee.  Sanborn called his mother the next day and said, in a recorded phone call, that he “fell out of the back of the van and will probably be facing escape charges.”

            Another inmate was in the transport van with Sanborn when he attempted to escape.  At Strafford, Sanborn sent the inmate a note that said that Sanborn knew his name and knew that the inmate had a girlfriend and child.  In the note, Sanborn also offered to pay the inmate to keep quiet about what he saw in the van.  The inmate informed Sanborn that he was not interested in Sanborn’s help and wanted nothing to do with the situation.  After this, other inmate associates of Sanborn began to harass the inmate and told him, among other things, that he was a “rat” and threatened to beat him up or kill him.

            Sanborn pleaded guilty to attempted escape and witness tampering.  He will be sentenced on June 5, 2019.

            This matter was investigated by the Strafford County Sherriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service.  The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter.

 

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CONCORD - David Fagan, 32, of Manchester, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for participating in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

             According to court documents and statements made in court, as a result of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation, agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration learned that on March 6, 2018, Fagan intended to travel from New Hampshire to a location in Lawrence, Massachusetts to purchase drugs.  Agents conducted surveillance in the area of the transaction and observed the defendant’s vehicle arrive.  The vehicle left Massachusetts and agents followed it directly to Nashua, New Hampshire, where they stopped the vehicle.  Officers later received a search warrant and recovered approximately one gram of suspected fentanyl in the car. 

            On March 29, 2018, agents learned that Fagan again intended to travel from New Hampshire to a location in Lawrence to purchase drugs. Agents conducted surveillance in the area of the transaction.   Investigators passed on information to the New Hampshire State Police. 

            A trooper later stopped the vehicle heading northbound on I-93.  The trooper identified the driver as the registered owner of the car and Fagan as the sole passenger. The officer spoke to both individuals and obtained consent to search the vehicle.  The trooper located approximately 50 grams of fentanyl under the hood of the car inside the air filter. 

            The investigation revealed that from February 23, 2018, through April 2018, Fagan ordered and purchased 1050 grams of fentanyl.    

            Fagan previously pleaded guilty on September 26, 2018.

            “Drug traffickers who choose to bring fentanyl into New Hampshire should understand that they will face justice in federal court,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “As is apparent from this case, serious prison time awaits those who trade in this lethal substance.  Law enforcement agencies at every level of government have made it a top priority to stop the flow of fentanyl.”  

            The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and

            Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky, Seth R. Aframe and Debra M. Walsh.

            This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.  

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            CONCORD – Alvaro Garcia, 30, of Manchester, was sentenced to 85 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.

             According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendant participated with three co-defendants in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in New Hampshire.  On several occasions, the defendant met in Nashua with his co-defendant suppliers from Massachusetts to obtain drugs that he then distributed in the Manchester area.  The conspiracy involved in excess of 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl.

            All of Garcia’s co-defendants also have been convicted.  Migdalia Cintron was sentenced to 30 months in prison.  Ramon Paniagua Perez was sentenced to 52 months in prison.  David Alexander Arias was sentenced to 41 months in prison. 

            Alvaro Garcia previously pleaded guilty on August 30, 2018.

            “Fentanyl traffickers who choose to operate in New Hampshire should expect to be arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “We are committed to working closely with enforcement agencies at all levels of government to end the distribution of this deadly drug. This case is a testament to the effectiveness of coordinated law enforcement efforts.” 

            “Fentanyl is causing deaths in record numbers and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle.  “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Garcia accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic.”

            This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the New Hampshire State Police, the Manchester Police Department, the Nashua Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, the United States Marshals Service, and the United States Probation Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Aframe.

            This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.  

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            CONCORD - Shannon Battle, 39, of Bangor, Maine was sentenced to 36 months in prison for participating in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 20, 2017, a New Hampshire State Police trooper patrolling I-95 stopped a vehicle due to a defective brake light.  Battle was a passenger in the vehicle.  Troopers ultimately discovered that the defendant was concealing a large package containing approximately 131 grams of fentanyl on her person.  During questioning, the defendant admitted that she travelled to Waterbury, Connecticut to pick up the fentanyl, which she was transporting to sell in the Bangor, Maine area.    

            Co-Defendants Danyelle McGarr and Heather Telescon also have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.  Battle previously pleaded guilty on September 27, 2018.

            “Fentanyl trafficking carries significant damage to the health and safety of communities throughout New England,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “I am grateful to the New Hampshire State Police for their vigilant enforcement work on this case. The troopers prevented a substantial amount of this deadly drug from being distributed.”

                 This matter was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Dronzek.

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            CONCORD - Victor Soto, 38, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison for fentanyl trafficking, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 30, 2018, Manchester police officers acquired reliable information that the defendant would deliver 300 to 400 grams of fentanyl to Manchester later that day. The Manchester police officers shared this information with the New Hampshire State Police.  That evening, the New Hampshire State Police located defendant’s black Acura SUV driving north on I-93.  The defendant was driving alone.  The police followed the defendant to route 293 and then onto South Willow St. in Manchester, where they stopped him.  During a subsequent consent search of his vehicle, officer found approximately 394 grams of fentanyl in the trunk.    

            Soto previously pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute on November 8, 2018.

            “Fentanyl distribution continues to damage the fabric of the Granite State,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “As this case demonstrates, members of the law enforcement community are working closely each day to stop the flow of opioids into our state and to protect our citizens.  I am grateful for the efforts of the investigators in this case.  Their work prevented a substantial quantity of this deadly drug from being sold in New Hampshire.”

            “We’re very gratified with the sentence that was handed down in this case today,” said Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “Together with the critical help of our local and federal partners in the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigations like this one, we are making real progress in combatting the impacts of the devastating opioid and fentanyl epidemic that has ravaged the lives of so many communities throughout the region.”

              This matter was investigated by the Manchester Police Department, New Hampshire State Police, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Davis.

            This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.  

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            CONCORD – Valerie Rondeau, 59, of Effingham was sentenced to five years of probation for making false statements to obtain Social Security disability benefits, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

             According to court documents and statements made in court, Rondeau received Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) benefits for over 16 years prior to her marriage in May 2013.  Rondeau continued to receive these benefits after she wed, but Rondeau did not report her marriage or her shared living arrangement to the Social Security Administration.  Instead, Rondeau took active steps to conceal her marriage and living arrangement.  For example, Rondeau changed her last name to that of her husband, writing in the petition “we live as a married couple.”  But, when Social Security inquired about the name change, Rondeau advised Social Security that she was not married and does not present herself as married.  Rondeau continued to conceal her marriage and living arrangement until November 2017, when she admitted to investigators that she did not obtain a marriage license or report her marriage to Social Security because she knew she could lose her disability benefits. 

            Rondeau’s marriage or shared living arrangement, if properly reported, would have disqualified her from receiving benefits.  Applicants for certain disability benefits must have limited income and resources in order to qualify for assistance.  The incomes of all members of a household are considered when determining an individual’s eligibility for SSI benefits.  As a result of her concealment, Rondeau received over $37,000 in disability benefits that she was not entitled to receive.  

            Rondeau previously pleaded guilty on November 6, 2019.  In addition to probation, the court ordered that Rondeau pay full restitution of $37,879.

            “Federal benefit programs are designed to provide assistance to those who truly need financial help,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “In order to protect the integrity of these programs, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who use fraud to obtain benefits that they are not entitled to receive.”

            “By prosecuting offenders like Rondeau, we deliver a strong message that this type of fraud won’t be tolerated,” said Adam D. Schneider, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security OIG’s Boston Field Division. “Today’s sentencing should serve as a warning to those who choose to selfishly defraud the Social Security Administration.  These cases are vigorously pursued, and we will continue to work jointly with the U.S. Attorney, and other law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute fraud perpetrators in the future.  I strongly encourage the public to report suspected instances of Social Security fraud to the SSA OIG’s Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271 or http://oig.ssa.gov/report.”

            “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s commitment to combat fraud,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Inspector in Charge Joseph W. Cronin of the Boston Division.  “By working with our federal law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and take action against those who take part in this type of behavior.”

            This matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service.  The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter.

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            CONCORD - Grency Junior Nuñez Barrera, 31, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 24 months and one day in prison for aggravated identity theft, social security fraud, and making false statements, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced.

             According to court documents and statements made in court, Nuñez Barrera illegally entered the United States in 2009 and obtained identification documents of an American citizen from Puerto Rico, including a forged birth certificate and social security card.  From 2009 through 2018, Nuñez Barrera assumed that person’s identity.  During that time, among other things, Nuñez Barrera worked and was charged with other crimes using the victim’s identity.  In 2010, Nuñez Barrera used the victim’s identity to obtain a New Hampshire driver’s license.  He later used the victim’s information to obtain a social security number.   

            In 2015, Nuñez Barrera was arrested while using the victim’s identity to renew the New Hampshire driver’s license he obtained in 2010.  In February 2018, Nuñez Barrera again traveled to the Division of Motor Vehicles in Concord, New Hampshire and applied for a replacement driver’s license using the victim’s name, date of birth, and social security number.  The DMV flagged the application and Nuñez Barrera was subsequently arrested.  Upon his arrest for federal charges, Nuñez Barrera again falsely identified himself as the victim to the U.S. Marshals and, as proof, provided the victim’s social security number.

            Nuñez Barrera previously pleaded guilty on October 30, 2018.  He faces likely deportation to the Dominican Republic after serving his sentence.

            “Identity theft is a serious crime that can have a harmful and lasting impact on its victims,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Victims often must spend countless hours attempting to clear their names, particularly when crimes are committed by those who have stolen their identity.  Those who choose to participate in this crime should understand that their fraudulent conduct will be met with aggressive prosecution and incarceration.”

            “Today’s sentencing demonstrates my office’s commitment to stopping the threats and devastating impacts that American citizens face from identity theft and related crimes,” said Adam D. Schneider, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, Boston Field Division. “Along with our local and federal law enforcement partners, we will continue to target investigations aimed specifically at identifying people who have stolen the identities of others, and we look forward to working with the U.S. Attorney on the successful prosecution of similar cases.”  

            This matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the New Hampshire State Police, and U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement.  The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter.

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          CONCORD – Kenneth Dunn, 60, of Nashua, was sentenced to 36 months of probation and 6 months of home confinement for making false statements to obtain federal employee disability benefits, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.

          The United States Department of Labor, Office of Workers’ Compensation Program (“OWCP”) provides workers’ compensation benefits to employees of the federal government, including the United States Postal Service (USPS), who are totally or partially disabled due to injuries sustained during the course of their employment.  While receiving the benefits, a disabled employee is required to report all employment for which he or she received a salary, wage, or payment of any kind in annual reports submitted to the OWCP.  A disabled employee is also required to provide documentation from a medical doctor to demonstrate his or her continued eligibility for the benefits and report any improvements to his or her physical condition.

           According to documents and statements made in court, Dunn was hired as a Rural Letter Carrier in April 1985.  In November 2010, Dunn began to receive OWCP disability benefits due to employment-related injuries to his neck, back, and arm.  While receiving the disability benefits, Dunn repeatedly reported to the OWCP that was not able to work in any capacity and he was not engaged in any employment activity.

          However, from 2010 through 2017, Dunn conducted thousands of transactions related to the purchase and sale of comic books on the internet, and failed to report the business activity to the OWCP.  In addition, on several occasions from October of 2016 to February of 2018, a Special Agent from the Office of Inspector General for the USPS observed Dunn engaged in physical activities inconsistent with his reported symptoms and alleged total disability.  The activities included: entering and exiting his car; clearing substantial amounts of snow off, and from around, his car; driving; walking up and down a flight of 30 stairs; conducting personal and business-related errands for several hours; and lifting and carrying items of various size, shape, and weight.  Dunn was able to perform these tasks without any apparent physical limitation, pain, or discomfort and in conflict with medical documentation from Dunn’s treating physician.

          At a Comicon event in Manchester on September 17 and 18, 2016, Dunn set up a vendor booth and repeatedly bent over to place or pick up large boxes filled with comic books.  He set up and dismantled a comic book display, sold comic books for cash, and stood and sat for long periods without any apparent physical limitation or discomfort.  Dunn repeated the same activities at the Comicon event in Manchester on September 16 and 17, 2017.

          The court documents also reveal that Dunn provided false information about his physical condition to a doctor in February 2017 and March 2018, and false information about his physical condition and work-history to the OWCP in February 2017 and 2018 in order to receive the disability benefits.  Because of this fraudulent conduct, Dunn received disability benefits totaling $87,736 from September of 2016 through July of 2018.

          Dunn pleaded guilty on September 20, 2018.

          “Workers’ compensation benefits are an important source of financial support for people who are truly unable to work due to their disabilities,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Those who seek to defraud the workers’ compensation system undermine the integrity of the program in an effort to obtain benefits they do not deserve.  Federal law enforcement agencies will remain vigilant to detect and prosecute fraudsters, ensuring that benefits only go to those who deserve to receive them.” 

          “The federal Workers’ Compensation program was created to help those who are recovering from injuries obtained on-the-job,” stated USPS-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Modafferi.  “When a former Postal Service employee defrauds the Workers' Compensation program, the Special Agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General will work tirelessly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect the integrity of this federal benefit program.”

          The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Kinsella.

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            CONCORD – William Bailey, 56, of Rochester, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, in November of 2016 Bailey pawned a Ruger .22 caliber rifle at a federally licensed firearms dealer in Rochester, New Hampshire.  Bailey previously had been convicted of attempted armed robbery in Georgia in 2011.  As a convicted felon, Bailey is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm.   

            Bailey is scheduled to be sentenced on May 14, 2019.

            “In order to maintain public safety, it is essential that we keep guns out of the hands of criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Disarming convicted felons advances this effort. Through Project Safe Neighborhoods, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute violent criminals who possess firearms.”

                This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rochester Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Helen White Fitzgibbon.

            The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes. 

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            CONCORD – Dave Bardzik, 56, of Ossipee, was sentenced to 18 months of probation and fined $2,500 for making a false statement in an effort to obtain fishery disaster relief funds, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

             In late October 2012, Hurricane Sandy devastated the Atlantic coast of the United States.  In addition to causing widespread property damage, the storm had substantial impacts on the New England fishing industry.   Pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Secretary of Commerce declared a fishery disaster and Congress approved fishery disaster relief funds.  Operators of both commercial and “for hire” vessels in New Hampshire were provided information about how to apply for a share of those funds.  Required criteria included that “for hire” vessels, like Bardzik’s, must have taken at least 15 trips in three of the previous four years in which at least one New England groundfish species was harvested.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, Bardzik submitted several false and/or altered records to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department in June 2015 in an attempt to qualify for the allotted funds.   Investigators immediately noted discrepancies between the June 2015 submission and the previous, contemporaneous records Bardzik had completed in 2013.  When confronted by investigators, Bardzik admitted that he created the false and/or altered records because he would otherwise not have qualified for funds.   

            Bardzik previously pled guilty on October, 30, 2018.

            “When the federal government spends money for disaster relief, the funds should only go to those who have been true victims of the disaster,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Those who seek to cheat the system should understand that there will be substantial consequences for their criminal conduct.”

            “This is a real win for the commercial fisherman of New Hampshire,” said Lieutenant Michael Eastman, District Chief of the Seacoast region for New Hampshire Fish and Game. “This investigation was a cooperative effort between New Hampshire Fish and Game and NOAA Office of Law Enforcement, and shows the importance of the Joint Enforcement Agreement outside of the daily dockside enforcement.”

            This matter was investigated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement with assistance from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.    The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.

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            CONCORD - Tasha Loaiza, 25, of Rochester, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 17, 2018, Loaiza met with a cooperating individual and directed the individual to an address in Manchester, New Hampshire. There, Loaiza introduced the cooperating individual to a third person, from whom the individual bought a quantity of fentanyl.         

            Loaiza previously pleaded guilty on November 5, 2018.

            “Fentanyl traffickers distribute a lethal substance that endangers the health and safety of all of our citizens” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “The FBI has done an excellent job of advancing efforts to combat this menace.  We will continue to coordinate with FBI agents and all of our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of illegal drugs.” 

            “Fentanyl is the #1 cause of drug-related deaths in New Hampshire, and the FBI will continue to use every resource available to identify individuals  like Ms. Loaiza who are contributing to the opioid crisis by facilitating the sale of this deadly drug,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.

            This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Dronzek.

 

 

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            CONCORD- Aaron Sperow, 27, of Nashua, was sentenced on Thursday to 102 months in prison for assaulting and robbing an individual who was seeking to purchase firearms, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 21, 2017, the defendant and two co-defendants participated in the assault and robbery at gunpoint of a person who was assisting the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The defendant and his co-defendants arranged for the victim to come to a residence in Nashua on the pretext that they would be illegally selling firearms to the victim.  They then assaulted and robbed the victim of the money intended to buy the firearms.  Because the victim was assisting federal agents, the victim had been equipped with audio and video surveillance equipment that recorded the robbery and assault.  Soon after the crime occurred, the defendant and co-defendants were arrested.  They each had some of the money that had been taken from the victim. 

            Sperow pleaded guilty on August 20, 2018, to conspiracy, robbery, assault, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

            Co-defendant Raymond Perez was sentenced to 51 months. The third co-defendant, Anthony Farmer, has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

            “The criminal use of firearms threatens the safety of our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “This violent crime demonstrates the importance of keeping guns out of the hands of criminals. Through Project Safe Neighborhoods, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to stop gun violence and protect the citizens of the Granite State.”

            "Keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted felons is ATF's top priority," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Kelly Brady.  "This is a public safety and law enforcement safety issue that ATF is 100 percent committed to.  ATF will continue to aggressively pursue these investigations and work with our law enforcement partners to remove violent criminals from our communities."

            This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Nashua Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Dronzek.

            The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes. 

           

 

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            CONCORD – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Meghan Bowers, 31, formerly of Keene, New Hampshire, was sentenced on Thursday to 18 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, in the course of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation that included wiretaps of certain telephones, investigating agents learned that on March 7, 2018, an individual intended to travel from New Hampshire to a location in Massachusetts to purchase fentanyl.  Agents conducted surveillance in the area of the transaction and observed a hand-to-hand exchange between a known drug trafficker and the driver of the car at the driver’s side window. The vehicle left Massachusetts and agents followed it directly to New Hampshire.  A New Hampshire State Trooper stopped the vehicle.  During the traffic stop, the Trooper subsequently located an orange bag containing approximately 184 grams of fentanyl.  Bowers and another occupant of the vehicle admitted that they had been asked to drive another person to Massachusetts to buy drugs and that they had agreed to do so.

            Bowers previously pled guilty on August 29, 2018.       

            “Fentanyl is a deadly drug that has caused grave damage to communities throughout New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to arrest, prosecute and incarcerate those who attempt to bring fentanyl into the Granite State.”

            The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and

            Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.

            The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky, Seth R. Aframe and Debra M. Walsh.

            This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. 

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            CONCORD – Damon Austin, 36, of Somersworth, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of firearms, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

             According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 14, 2018, Austin was involved in an altercation with another individual in Somersworth in which Austin threatened the individual with a firearm.  Soon after the altercation, Somersworth Police arrested Austin while he was in possession of the firearm.  Police subsequently obtained a warrant to search Austin’s residence.  A search of Austin’s residence resulted in the seizure of six additional firearms, as well as cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana.  Austin, as a previously convicted felon, is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.          

            Austin is scheduled to be sentenced on May 14, 2019.

           “The law enforcement community is working together to combat violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “This effort is advanced by depriving felons of guns that they can use to commit crimes.  The quick actions of the Somersworth officers in this case took guns out of the hands of a convicted criminal.  By working together to identify and prosecute criminals who use guns, participants in Project Safe Neighborhoods are protecting communities throughout the Granite State.”

                This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Somersworth Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Z.  Krasinski.

            The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes. 

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            CONCORD – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Hector Velez, 23, of Manchester, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms.

             According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 30, 2017, Manchester Police stopped a car driven by Velez.  Upon seeing what appeared to be drugs in plain view inside the car, the officers impounded the car and applied for a search warrant.  A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of two firearms, as well as marijuana and cocaine.  Velez, as a previously convicted felon, is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.      

            “Federal firearms laws are designed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “By enforcing these laws, we seek to prevent felons from using guns to commit crimes.  Through Project Safe Neighborhoods, law enforcement officers throughout the Granite State are working together to protect the public from armed criminals.  This case is another example of the important progress that we are making to improve the safety of our communities.”  

            “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the outstanding partnership between ATF and the Manchester Police Department as well as the commitment we share to work together to interdict illegal firearms and the criminals that compromise the safety of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Brady of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

            This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Manchester Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Z. Krasinski.

            The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes. 

           

 

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            CONCORD – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Nicholas J. Patten, 27, of Williston, Vermont pleaded guilty on Tuesday to drug trafficking and firearms charges.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 11, 2018, a New London police officer stopped to assist a motorist and observed the defendant slumped down in the driver’s seat.  The officer also observed several needles, three rubber tourniquets, a syringe, and white powder on the defendant’s jeans and on the center console of the vehicle.  The defendant woke up and began to thrash about the vehicle screaming things like “Help,” “I’m drowning,” and “I’m trapped.”  The defendant later admitted that he used cocaine and stated that he did not know what he was on.  The police later executed a search warrant on the vehicle and found  approximately 191.8 grams of cocaine.  The police also found $4420 in cash and a loaded Smith and Wesson 9 millimeter pistol, as well as fentanyl, oxycodone, and other smaller amounts of cocaine within the vehicle.    

            Patten pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm and ammunition by an unlawful user of a controlled substance.  He will be sentenced on May 13, 2019.

            “Drug trafficking and firearms are a potentially lethal combination,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “I commend the New London officers whose quick thinking helped to protect the community from harm.  We will continue to partner with our law enforcement colleagues to protect the Granite State from drug trafficking and violent crime.”

            The matter was investigated by the New London Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force also assisted in the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Debra M. Walsh is prosecuting the case.

            The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.  

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          CONCORD- United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Christopher Chandonnais, 28, of Manchester, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for oxycodone trafficking.

          According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 19, 2017, the Nashua Police Department conducted surveillance of the defendant making a drug sale to another drug distributor. They subsequently searched the defendant’s vehicle and recovered approximately ninety 30-mg oxycodone pills and over $11,000.  The investigation confirmed that the defendant regularly sold oxycodone pills and made a profit of approximately $10 per pill sold. The $11,000 has been forfeited.

          The defendant was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

          “The abuse and illegal sale of oxycodone and other opioids presents an ongoing danger to the health and safety of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “To reduce this threat, we will aggressively investigate, arrest and prosecute those who trade in these deadly substances.”

          This matter was investigated by the Nashua Police Department, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.

 

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           CONCORD - United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today that an individual who has used multiple names, including Juan Garcia, Alejandro Villar Dume, and Alberto German Gomez, was sentenced to serve 17 years in prison for participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy.

           Court documents and statements made in court showed that the defendant participated in a conspiracy to sell fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.  After the FBI received information that the defendant was distributing drugs in Nashua and elsewhere, it began an investigation of the defendant’s activities.  During the investigation, the defendant and his associates sold fentanyl in Lawrence, Massachusetts to individuals who were cooperating with law enforcement officers.

           At a sentencing hearing on January 24, 2019, U.S. District Judge Paul Barbadoro sentenced the defendant, who had previously been convicted of several violent crimes, to serve 17 years in prison.  The Judge also found that the defendant had obstructed justice by claiming that he was “Juan Garcia” from Puerto Rico.   Information presented at the sentencing hearing suggested that the defendant actually was from the Dominican Republic.

          The defendant, who previously resided in Roxbury, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty on June 28, 2018.

          “Those who illegally trade in fentanyl and other dangerous drugs endanger our citizens and undermine the quality of life in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “When violent criminals are involved in drug trafficking, the risk to public safety is amplified.  Violent criminals who sell drugs in New Hampshire should expect to be arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to long prison terms.”

          “Mr. Garcia will now finally pay the price for peddling deadly drugs that can have unpredictable effects on unsuspecting users,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI New Hampshire Safe Streets Gang Task Force will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and disrupt violent criminals like Mr. Garcia who are engaged in drug trafficking activities that endanger the safety of the citizens in our state.”

           This matter was investigated by the FBI New Hampshire Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which is comprised of the FBI, the New Hampshire State Police, New Hampshire Probation and Parole, and the Police Departments of Hudson, Manchester, and Nashua.  Assistance was provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force.  The case was prosecuted by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane Kelbley and First Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Farley.

 

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          CONCORD - United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today that 15 individuals were arrested on federal drug trafficking and firearm offenses. The arrests are the culmination of a year-long investigation into drug trafficking in and around the Rochester, Farmington, Somersworth, and Dover areas of New Hampshire by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in coordination with federal, state and local authorities in New Hampshire and Maine.  The following individuals were arrested and charged as follows: 

• Thomas Blanchette, 42, Rochester, NH - conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; 
   
• Christopher Stearns, 46, Rochester, NH  - conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
   
• Amy Patch, 37, Rochester, NH - conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
   
• Nicholas Barton, 34, Rochester, NH - conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;

 

• Randy Stevens, 28, Farmington, NH - conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
   
• Kyle Forest, 25, Rochester, NH- conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;

 

• Derek Rand, 30, Farmington, NH,  - conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute, and to distribute, fentanyl;
   
• Sasha Rand, 33, Farmington, NH  - conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl;
   
• James Nesbitt, 42, Rochester, NH- conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute, and to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine;
   
• Haley Hansler, 32, Rochester, NH- conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine;
   
• William McKay, 45, Rochester, NH- conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine;
   
• Angel Wilson, 33, Rochester, NH – possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute;

 

• Stephanie Joy, 42, Rochester, NH - conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;

 

• Joshua George, 37, Somersworth, NH  - conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute, and to distribute, fentanyl; and

 

• Dean Smoronk, 57, Farmington, NH – possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of a stolen firearm.

 

          Most of the defendants were arrested on Thursday, December 20, 2018, and appeared in court that day.  Joshua George first appeared in federal court on November 9, 2018.

          “This coordinated sweep serves notice once again of law enforcement’s determination to disrupt the sale of fentanyl, methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs in New Hampshire” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Drug trafficking has caused grave damage in Strafford County and throughout our state.  Accordingly, we will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to arrest and prosecute those responsible.   In order to keep the public safe from violent crime, we will also aggressively target those who unlawfully possess firearms.  These prosecutions are an example of how federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies can work together to keep the Granite State safe.”

          “The arrests today reflect DEA’s strong commitment to bring to justice those who distribute these dangerous drugs to our citizens,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle.  “As we all know, drug trafficking, along with the gun and physical violence that often accompanies it, ravages the very foundation of our families and communities.  This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners.”

          “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with our federal and state law enforcement partners, are committed to providing the resources necessary to combat drug trafficking in our communities,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Inspector in Charge, Joseph W. Cronin of the Boston Division. “These arrests should send a clear message that drugs, firearms, and violence will not be tolerated.  Fentanyl, and other highly addictive drugs, are destroying families across the country. U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to work diligently to rid the U.S. Mail of illegal drugs and their proceeds.

          This investigation was the product of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. 

          These cases were investigated by the DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad; the New Hampshire State Police; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the United States Marshals Service; the Strafford County Drug Task Force; the Maine State Police; and the Dover (NH) Police Department. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Cole Davis and Anna Dronzek.

          The charges are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H.  -  Angel Forteza-Concepcion, 19, of Manchester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.

          According to court documents and statements made in court, from November 2017 to February 2018, Forteza-Concepcion and Ariel Mendoza, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, knowingly deposited stolen checks and money orders totaling more than $7,100 into accounts at four federally insured banks.  They then obtained proceeds from the stolen checks and money orders by using debit cards assigned to the accounts to withdraw cash at ATMs and perform debit card transactions.

          On December 13, 2018, Mendoza pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and theft of mail.  He will be sentenced on March 27, 2019.

          Forteza-Concepcion will be sentenced in on March 27, 2019.

          “The prompt response of the law enforcement agents who contributed to the investigation of this case prevented the loss of more money and ensured that other people did not become victims of the conspiracy,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “I hope this prosecution deters others from engaging in this type of serious criminal conduct.”

          “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to conduct investigations, alongside our local law enforcement partners, that seek prosecution of those who compromise the personal information of our customers and the integrity the U.S. Mail,” said the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Inspector in Charge, Joseph W. Cronin of the Boston Division.  “We will thoroughly investigate cases such as this as these types of crimes can create substantial losses for victims.”

          The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, with assistance from the Police Departments in Manchester and Salem, New Hampshire, and Lawrence, Massachusetts.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Kinsella.

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          CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today that Shakur Brownstein, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution FCI-Berlin, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for assaulting another inmate.

          According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 22, 2018, Brownstein was walking behind another inmate in the Blue Corridor of FCI-Berlin when Brownstein ran up and struck the inmate from behind.  Brownstein fractured the jaw of the other inmate, who required numerous surgeries and the surgical insertion of a titanium plate to hold his facial bones in place.  The attack was captured on videotape.           

          Brownstein previously pleaded guilty on September 14, 2018.           

         The staff at FCI-Berlin conducted the investigation of this case.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald A. Feith.

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            CONCORD – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Steven Moore, 36, and Samantha Merrifield, 35, both of Plymouth, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

           Court filings and statements made in court established that Moore and Merrifield arranged to sell approximately 50 grams of fentanyl to an undercover police officer on October 10, 2018.

           Moore and Merrifield will be sentenced on March 27, 2019.           

          “Fentanyl distribution is a problem throughout the Granite State,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “We will remain vigilant to ensure that law enforcement confronts drug dealers wherever they choose to engage in their illegal and dangerous trade.”

          The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.

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          Concord – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Joshua Smith, 31, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

          According to court documents and statements made in court, a drug trafficking organization that authorities allege was led by Sergio Martinez, employed the defendant to sell fentanyl to customers from various New England States, including New Hampshire.  On each day that the defendant worked, the Martinez organization provided him with at least one 200-gram bag of fentanyl and expected him to sell it and return approximately $6,000 in proceeds.  The defendant worked for the Martinez organization on various days. On October 20, 2017, the defendant was arrested while selling drugs for the organization.  At the time, he possessed a firearm that he admitted to carrying to avoid being robbed by drug customers.

          Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on March 28, 2019.  Smith faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years of imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life, a fine up to 10 million dollars and a term of supervised release of at least five years and as much as life.

          Thirty-three additional defendants have been charged in the fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.

          “Fentanyl trafficking makes a deadly substance available for purchase in this State,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “It is imperative that we dismantle the criminal organizations that profit from the sale of illegal substances.  In order to stop the devastation caused by their activities, we will continue to work closely with the entire law enforcement community to arrest and prosecute traffickers.”

        This investigation was conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.

          The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.

          The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Seth R. Aframe.

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          Concord - United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that a federal jury found Christopher Clough, 44, of Dover, New Hampshire guilty of participating in a scheme in which he received kickbacks in exchange for prescribing a powerful fentanyl spray to patients in violation of federal law.   

          According to testimony during the trial, which began on December 11, 2018, Clough worked as a physician assistant in New Hampshire.  After being approached by a representative of a drug manufacturer in June of 2013, he became a frequent prescriber of a fentanyl spray that had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat breakthrough cancer pain.  From approximately June of 2013 through the fall of 2014, Clough wrote more than 750 prescriptions for the fentanyl spray in New Hampshire, including more than 225 prescriptions for Medicare patients.  The Medicare program paid over $2.1 million for these prescriptions.

          Trial testimony demonstrated that during the time he was writing these prescriptions, the manufacturer of the drug paid Clough to serve as a speaker at more than 40 programs at a rate of approximately $1,000 per event.   In many instances, the programs were merely sham events where Clough was paid to have dinner with employees or representatives of the pharmaceutical company.  During most dinner programs, Clough did not give any kind of presentation about the drug.  Clough and others often forged signatures of attendees on sign-in sheets in an effort to make the dinners appear to be legitimate.  Evidence at trial demonstrated that Clough received over $49,000 in payments from the drug manufacturer.

          Testimony at the trial also showed that Clough often prescribed the drug for patients who did not have breakthrough cancer pain.  He often started patients on high doses of the addictive fentanyl spray and rebuffed patients and their family members who stated that they no longer wanted the drug.

          Clough was convicted of one count of conspiracy and seven counts of receipt of kickbacks in relation to a federal healthcare program.  He faces up to five years in prison on each count of conviction when he is sentenced on March 29, 2019.

          “Health care providers should make their treatment decisions based upon the needs of their patients, not their desire to pad their wallets,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Corporate money should not be allowed to influence a patient’s medical decisions, especially when it comes to prescriptions for a powerful opioid drug like fentanyl.  When providers are influenced by kickbacks, this can have tremendously bad consequences for patients.  I thank the jury for thoughtfully reviewing the evidence and rendering this important verdict that shows that corruption in the health care field will not be tolerated.”

           “Today’s verdict reinforces the FBI’s commitment to making sure that patients receive, and the government pays for, health care that is not compromised by kickbacks,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.  “What Mr. Clough is accused of doing in this case—receiving kickbacks in exchange for prescribing a powerful fentanyl spray—not only violated federal law but put patients at risk and contributed to the opioid crisis. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to do everything we can to root out those who place profit before patient safety.”

          “New Hampshire is in the midst of a devastating opioid crisis, as deaths from fentanyl soar. Clough prescribed a highly addictive form of fentanyl based on kickback payments not on the needs of his patients,” said Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “His conduct has played a significant role in damaging our community and he will now pay the price.”

         “The reckless action by this former physician assistant was not only a crime but a betrayal of the public trust,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle.  “Today’s verdict not only holds Mr. Clough accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those individuals who are fueling the opioid crisis in order to profit and destroy people’s lives.  DEA’s obligation is to improve public safety and public health, and we are committed to working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure that rules and regulations are followed.”

          This matter was jointly investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Control Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles L. Rombeau and Seth R. Aframe.

 

 

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          CONCORD, N.H.  Jichun Zhang, 46, of Durham, pleaded guilty today to stealing money from federal research grants, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.

          According to court documents and statements made in court, Zhang was a former Research Associate Professor at the University of New Hampshire’s Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space (EOS).  Zhang was authorized to use a credit card provided by UNH to pay for expenses covered by federal research grants that were awarded to UNH by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). 

          On 31 separate occasions from January 2016 to December 2017, Zhang used the credit card to purchase items totaling more than $6,900 from Amazon.com, e-Bay, and Apple, Inc., for his personal benefit.  For each such transaction, Zhang submitted a fictitious receipt and a fraudulent written justification for the expense to UNH.  The bogus documents caused the University System of New Hampshire to make payments on the credit card and obtain reimbursement for the unauthorized expenses from the NASA grants.

          Zhang will be sentenced on March 27, 2019.

          “The conduct involved in this case is particularly serious because it involved a professional educator who stole money that should have been used to pursue the important scientific goals of the federal grants,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “I want to thank the University of New Hampshire and the University System of New Hampshire.  Their immediate response and sustained cooperation with law enforcement demonstrated a forceful determination to protect the integrity of the federal grant process.”

          “I am grateful for the daily due diligence of the University of New Hampshire and University System employees who alerted the police to this criminal activity.” said UNH Police Chief Paul H Dean. “The complex joint investigation was a success due to the strong collaboration of federal and campus law enforcement and I believe it sends a clear message to anyone contemplating similar criminal activity in the research community.” 

          “Mr. Zhang has now accepted responsibility for misusing taxpayer money that was entrusted to him to pay for expenses covered by federal research grants. Not only did he mishandle those funds for his own personal gain, but he betrayed the trust of his colleagues at the University,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify others like Mr. Zhang who fraudulently misuse government money for their own self-enrichment.”

         “This investigation exposed an individual that used federal funds to advance his own personal gain,” said Curtis W. Vaughn, Special Agent in Charge, of the Office of Investigations of NASA’s Office of Inspector General.  “I commend the outstanding efforts of our agents, the University, and other law enforcement agencies involved in protecting the integrity of federal research grants and contracts.”

          The case was investigated by the UNH Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Police Departments in Durham, Nottingham, and Newmarket, New Hampshire.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Kinsella.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. - Ariel Mendoza, 26, a citizen of Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty today to theft of mail and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.

          According to court documents and statements made in court, from November 2017 to March 2018, several residents of Salem and Manchester, New Hampshire, as well as residents of Lawrence, Massachusetts reported to their local police departments that they had used public mailboxes to mail personal checks or money orders that never were received by the intended recipients.  On November 26, 2017, a video surveillance camera near a public mailbox in front of the U.S. Post Office in Salem captured images of Mendoza and another person as they stole items of from the mailbox.

          In addition, from November 2017 to May 2018, Mendoza and others deposited over $27,000 in stolen checks and money orders to accounts at banks and credit unions in New Hampshire.  After each deposit, Mendoza and the other conspirators obtained the proceeds of the stolen checks by withdrawing cash at ATMs and performing debit card transactions.

          Mendoza will be sentenced on March 29, 2019.  After he completes that sentence, Mendoza faces likely deportation to the Dominican Republic.

          “Crimes such as bank fraud cause financial damage to innocent victims and cannot be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “The theft of mail undermines public confidence in a critical governmental service and must be addressed by aggressive investigation and prosecution.  I want to thank the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Police Departments in Salem, Manchester, and Lawrence.  Their prompt response and thorough investigation of these serious crimes should deter other people from engaging in similar conduct.”

          “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service takes mail theft very seriously,” said Inspector in Charge Joseph W. Cronin of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division.  “Our customers expect their personal information to be kept secure when mailing with the U.S. Postal Service.  Postal Inspectors, along with our local police departments who assisted in this investigation, worked hard to prevent more people from becoming further victimized by this scheme.  These types of crimes cause considerable financial damage and personal inconvenience.”

          The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Salem Police Department, the Manchester Police Department, and the Lawrence, Massachusetts Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Kinsella.

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          CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Marc Beaulieu, 31, of Caribou, Maine, was sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison for robbing a credit union in Somersworth, New Hampshire.

          According to documents filed with the court and statements made in court, Beaulieu entered the Service Credit Union in Somersworth on November 18, 2016, approached a teller, and handed the teller a note that stated “Give me all your money and no one will get hurt.”  The teller gave Beaulieu a sum of money that included a packet of bait bills.  Beaulieu was wearing a camouflage jacket, dark hat, khaki pants, and bright red or orange sneakers.  Surveillance film captured Beaulieu fleeing the bank and entering a Subaru.

          After law enforcement released an image of the bank robber to the media, numerous individuals contacted the police and identified the robber as Beaulieu.  Police also obtained video from a convenience store near the credit union that captured Beaulieu in the Subaru and putting on the camouflage jacket.  Beaulieu was arrested in Portsmouth on November 21, 2016, and the camouflage jacket, the sneakers, and other evidence connecting him to the robbery were recovered.

          Beaulieu previously pleaded guilty on April 27, 2018.

          “Robberies and other violent crimes present a substantial threat to public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “In order to protect our community, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to arrest, prosecute, and incarcerate those who commit these dangerous crimes.”

        The Somersworth Police Department led the investigation of the case with the assistance of the Portsmouth Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and the Strafford County Department of Corrections.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation also provided assistance.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald A. Feith.

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Alicia Morin, 31, of Northfield, New Hampshire, was sentenced on Monday to serve 37 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today. 

          According to court documents and statements made in court, during an ongoing drug trafficking investigation that included wiretaps of certain telephones, investigators learned that on March 9, 2018, Morin intended to travel from New Hampshire to a location in Massachusetts to purchase fentanyl.  Agents conducted surveillance in the area of the transaction and observed a hand-to-hand exchange between a known drug trafficker and the front right seat passenger of the vehicle. The vehicle left Massachusetts and agents followed it directly to New Hampshire.  A New Hampshire State Trooper stopped the vehicle for traffic violations and identified Morin as the front seat passenger.  Approximately 31 grams of fentanyl were located in the vehicle.  Some of the fentanyl was hidden in her bra.  The investigation revealed that from February 23, 2018, and continuing through April 5, 2018, Morin ordered fentanyl on multiple occasions from the drug distributors in Massachusetts.

          Morin previously pleaded guilty on August 27, 2018.

          “The transportation of fentanyl into New Hampshire has exposed our citizens to tragic consequences” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “In order to stop the flow of this deadly drug and protect the public, we will continue to identify, arrest and prosecute those who bring fentanyl into the Granite State. Traffickers should be aware that they face substantial prison terms if they continue with their illegal trade”. 

          “New Hampshire is in the midst of a devastating opioid crisis, as deaths from fentanyl climb,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle.  “The DEA will continue to use every resource available to identify those, like Ms. Morin, who are contributing to the crisis.  Today’s sentence not only holds Ms. Morin accountable for her crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic.”

          The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.

          The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky, Seth R. Aframe and Debra M. Walsh.

          This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.

 

 

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          CONCORD, N.H. – Albert Gordon, 45, of Manchester, was sentenced on Monday to serve 30 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.  

          According to court documents and statements made in court, in the course of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation that included wiretaps of certain telephones, investigating agents learned that on March 7, 2018, an individual intended to travel from New Hampshire to a location in Massachusetts to purchase fentanyl.  Agents conducted surveillance in the area of the transaction and observed a hand-to-hand exchange between a known drug trafficker and the driver of the car at the driver’s side window. The vehicle left Massachusetts and agents followed it directly to New Hampshire.  A New Hampshire State Trooper stopped the vehicle.  During the traffic stop, the Trooper subsequently located an orange bag containing approximately 184 grams of fentanyl.  Gordon admitted that another individual had asked him and his girlfriend to drive to Massachusetts to buy drugs and that they had agreed to do so.

          The defendant previously pleaded guilty on August 29, 2018.

          “Fentanyl is a deadly drug that continues to cause serious damage to communities throughout the Granite State,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Those who choose to transport fentanyl into New Hampshire face serious prison terms.  Fentanyl trafficking will be prosecuted aggressively.  By targeting drug traffickers and getting fentanyl off the street, we are striving to protect the lives and safety of our citizens.”

          “Fentanyl is causing deaths in record numbers and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle.  “This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners.”

          The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the Drug Enforcement Administration; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.

          The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky, Seth R. Aframe and Debra M. Walsh.

          This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. 

 

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          CONCORD, N.H.  - Hailong Zhang, 46, of Nottingham pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of stolen money, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.

          According to court documents and statements made in court, Zhang was a Research Project Manager at the University of New Hampshire’s College of Life Sciences.  Zhang was authorized to use a credit card provided by UNH to pay for expenses covered by grants that were provided to the College of Life Sciences by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (“NIH”).  On 31 separate occasions from December 2013 to January 2018, Zhang used the credit card to purchase gift cards totaling more than $82,000 from Amazon.com, which he kept or used to buy merchandise for his personal benefit, including clothing, video games, and a snow blower.  To conceal each such use of the credit card, Zhang submitted a fictitious receipt and a fraudulent written justification for the expense to UNH.  The bogus documents caused the University System of New Hampshire to make payments on the credit card and obtain reimbursement for the unauthorized expenses from the NIH.

          “Mr. Zhang’s conduct is particularly disturbing because the money he stole should have been used to advance important scientific research projects,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Government research funds are not intended to be used to supplement personal income.  Anyone who engages in this type of selfish criminal behavior will be prosecuted.”

          “I am grateful for the daily due diligence of the University of New Hampshire and University System employees who alerted the police to this criminal activity.” said UNH Police Chief Paul H. Dean. “The complex joint investigation was a success due to the strong collaboration of federal and campus law enforcement and I believe it sends a clear message to anyone contemplating similar criminal activity in the research community.” 

          “Mr. Zhang has now accepted responsibility for misusing taxpayer money that was entrusted to him to pay for expenses covered by federal research grants. Not only did he mishandle those funds for his own personal gain, but he betrayed the trust of his colleagues at the University,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify others like Mr. Zhang who fraudulently misuse government money for their own self-enrichment.”

          “Taxpayer funds at NIH support critical research that can ultimately save lives,” said Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  “Zhang siphoned off these life-giving dollars and will now pay the price.”  

          Zhang will be sentenced on March 29, 2019 .

          The case was investigated by the UNH Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from Nottingham Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Kinsella.

 

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          CONCORD – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Raulin Martinez, 27, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and in a conspiracy to launder money.

          According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendant helped lead a drug trafficking organization that sold fentanyl to customers from various New England states, including New Hampshire, from 2015 to April of 2018. The organization, which authorities allege was also led by the defendant’s brother, Sergio Martinez, used the name “Brian” to represent the drug business and sold well in excess of 36 kilograms of fentanyl from January through April of 2018. The defendant helped run the business and supervised fentanyl distributors. The defendant also assisted in collecting and counting drug proceeds, laundering that money, and sending it to relatives in the Dominican Republic. The defendant has agreed to forfeit over $81,000 and to pay a money judgment of $165,500.

          Martinez is scheduled to be sentenced on March 20, 2019.  He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years of imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life, a fine up to 10 million dollars and a term of supervised release of at least five years and as much as life.

          Thirty-three additional defendants have been charged in the fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. Five have pled guilty and one, Jepherson Cabrera, has been sentenced to 156 months in prison.

          “Fentanyl trafficking has caused tremendous damage in New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “In order to protect the citizens of the Granite State, we are working closely with the entire law enforcement community to stop the flow of this deadly drug into our state.  It is imperative that we dismantle the criminal organizations that have been profiting from the sale of fentanyl and other deadly drugs in New Hampshire.”

         This investigation was conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.

          The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.

          The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Seth R. Aframe.

 

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          CONCORD – Migdalia Cintron-Morales, 38, of Lawrence, Massachusetts was sentenced on Thursday to serve 30 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.  

          According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendant participated with three co-defendants in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl into New Hampshire. On several occasions, the defendant and a co-defendant traveled into New Hampshire to meet a New Hampshire distributor to provide that individual with fentanyl to redistribute in and around the Manchester, New Hampshire area. The conspiracy involved in excess of 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl.

          Co-defendant David Alexander Arias was sentenced to 41 months. Other co-defendants, Alvaro Garcia and Ramon Paniagua Perez, have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.  

          Cintron-Morales previously pleaded guilty on August 27, 2018.

          “Fentanyl trafficking has made a lethal substance available in the Granite State” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Overall, the results have been catastrophic for drug users and their families. In order to curtail trafficking, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute the drug dealers who are bringing fentanyl and other deadly drugs into New Hampshire.”              

          “The state of New Hampshire is faced with a fentanyl crisis unlike ever before,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle.  “Drug Trafficking Organizations and individuals coming from out of state who are responsible for distributing lethal drugs like fentanyl to the citizens of the Granite State need to be held accountable for their actions.  This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners.”

          This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.   The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Aframe.

 

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          CONCORD – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Jared Ortega-Peguero, 26, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty on Thursday to participating in a conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl.

          According to court documents and statements made in court, a drug trafficking organization that authorities allege was led by Sergio Martinez, employed the defendant to sell fentanyl to customers from various New England States, including New Hampshire.  On each day that the defendant worked, the Martinez organization provided him with at least one 200-gram bag of fentanyl and expected him to sell it and return approximately $6,000 in proceeds.  On numerous days, Ortega-Peguero sold at least one 200-gram bag of fentanyl.

          Ortega-Peguero is scheduled to be sentenced on March 20, 2018.  He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years of imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life, a fine up to 10 million dollars and a term of supervised release of at least five years and as much as life.

          Thirty-three additional defendants have been charged in the fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.

          “Fentanyl trafficking has caused tremendous damage in New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “In order to protect the citizens of the Granite State, we will continue to work closely with the entire law enforcement community to stop the flow of this deadly drug in our state. It is imperative that we dismantle the criminal organizations that profit from the sale of illegal substances.”

         This investigation was conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.

          The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.

          The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Seth R. Aframe.

 

 

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          CONCORD - David Frediani, 28, of Epsom, was sentenced to 150 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.  

          According to court documents and statements made in court, the investigation began when the defendant sold fentanyl to a cooperating individual. In September of 2017, police executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and found four firearms, ammunition, over 511 grams of fentanyl, and approximately $24,000. Because of a prior felony conviction, Frediani is prohibited from possessing firearms.

          The defendant previously pleaded guilty on January 18, 2018.

          “Drug trafficking and firearms are a potentially deadly combination,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Drug traffickers who possess firearms should understand that they will be prosecuted aggressively.  I am grateful to the State Police for the work, which removed a substantial quantity of fentanyl and four firearms from the streets.”

          This matter was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana Konesky.

 

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          CONCORD - Nathaniel Carr, 24, of Concord, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.

          According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 1, 2018, a police officer saw a Chevrolet Trailblazer with expired temporary license plates, driven by Carr, exit a convenience store’s parking lot on Loudon Road.  A police officer later located the vehicle, with Carr sitting in the driver’s seat, in another parking lot on Loudon Road.   At that location, the police officer parked behind the Trailblazer.  When Carr opened the driver’s door, the police officer saw a .22 caliber revolver in the pocket of the driver’s door and a box of .22 caliber ammunition in front of the front passenger seat.  As a previously-convicted felon, Carr is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.

          While later executing a warrant to search Carr’s residence on August 24, 2018, the Concord Police Department found 20 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition and 31 rounds of .38 caliber ammunition in a safe; a .380 caliber pistol and 30 rounds .380 caliber ammunition in a backpack; and a .12 gauge shotgun shell in Carr’s bedroom. 

          Carr will be sentenced on March 13, 2019.

          “Keeping guns out of the hands of criminals is necessary in order to keep our community safe,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “In order to reduce violent crime, we will work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify, prosecute, and incarcerate criminals who possess firearms.”

          This matter was investigated by the Concord Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant United States Attorney Anna Krasinski is prosecuting the case.

          The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.

 

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