BOSTON (WWLP) – Twenty-three individuals from Massachusetts have been charged in connection with a drug trafficking organization that allegedly manufactured and distributed 74,000 counterfeit prescription pills containing deadly narcotics.
During the execution of federal search warrants Tuesday morning, investigators seized a pill press, thousands of counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, and counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.
“Since taking office 10 months ago, we have worked tirelessly in collaboration with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to combat the deadly drug and opioid crisis poisoning our Commonwealth. Last year we lost over 2000 lives. Loved ones taken, stolen from us. And to be clear – counterfeit prescription pills being sold on the street are part of the problem. Swallowing a deadly drug can have the same fatal outcome as injecting one. These charges are an important step in slowing and ending the near constant stream of illegal drugs flowing into our communities,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “We allege the defendants participated in a large-scale drug ring that was prepared to distribute tens of thousands of counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine in addition to the counterfeit Adderall pills and counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that they were actually distributing into neighborhoods on the North Shore. Disguised to look like your average prescriptions from the pharmacy, these pills contained deadly narcotics – including fentanyl, which is 100 times more potent than morphine, and methamphetamine, which also has been responsible for countless overdose deaths. As a result of this investigation, North Shore residents are safer now with more than 74,000 potentially deadly pills removed from their streets.”
“Massachusetts is in the midst of a devastating opioid crisis as deaths from deadly fake pills soar. The DEA will continue to use every resource available to identify those who are contributing to the crisis,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to put other callous distributors behind bars.”
“The practice of disguising fentanyl and other dangerous drugs as prescription medication is especially nefarious for the dangers it poses to unsuspecting users and the new addictions it fuels. I commend the DEA, our Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Trafficking Reduction and Enforcement task force, and the multiple partner agencies for their superb work interdicting this drug organization. The neighborhoods of the North Shore are safer today for their efforts,” said Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police.
According to the United States Department of Justice, the defendants were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute which could lead to a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
The following 23 defendants have been charged:
- Lawrence Michael Nagle, a/k/a “Mikey,” 32, of Saugus
- Christopher Nagle, a/k/a “Cuda,” 28, of Revere
- Nelson Mora, a/k/a “Nellie,” 29, of Lynn
- Javier Bello, a/k/a “Javi,” 27, of Beverly
- Anthony Bryson, 33, of Billerica
- Frantz Adolphe, 28, of Lynn
- Raymond Kulakowski, 36, of Lynn
- Soyanna Lages, 33, of Somerville
- David Muise, a/k/a “Pinky,” 35, of Swampscott
- David Delauri, 30, of Haverhill
- Savannah Lee Bartone, 35, of Peabody
- Lawrence M. Nagle Sr., a/k/a “Michael L. Nagle,” a/k/a “Tony Dias,” 54, of Lynn
- Alexander Villar, 33 of Danvers
- Kion Shepherd, a/k/a “Kilo,” 31, of Salem
- Melvin Nieves, 23, of Lynn
- Erick Solis Lopez, a/k/a “Wichy,” 24, of Salem
- Christopher Tejeda, 21, of Lynn
- Edward Ortiz, 32, of Swampscott
- Justin Westmoreland, 24, of Saugus
- Yaira Ramos-Rivera, 39, of Billerica
- Jose Garcia, 45, of Roslindale
- Anna Bryson, 59, of Saugus
- Chevon Dorce, 43, of Lynn
