Dominican National Living in Lawrence Pleads Guilty to Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute

BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Santos Obispo Guerrero Lara, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl before U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs, who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 7, 2019.  Lara was indicted on June 26, 2019 and is currently in custody.

According to court documents, Lara attempted to sell approximately 20g of fentanyl to an undercover agent. Lara was arrested in Lawrence on June 6, 2019, as part of a 10-week coordinated enforcement operation in the Merrimack Valley called “Devil’s Highway.”  The operation targeted the distribution of opioids, including fentanyl and heroin, and resulted in charges against a total of 40 people for federal drug offenses, with at least a dozen more individuals facing state charges.

The charge of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Jason J. Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston made the announcement today.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Andover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of Lelling’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.