10 Massachusetts residents were among 22 people charged in a large-scale drug operation that officials said trafficked large amounts of fentanyl and crack cocaine from Massachusetts to Manchester, New Hampshire over the past four years.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Massachusetts identified the leader of the drug ring as Juan Ramon “Ricky” Soto Baez, who also goes by “Nicolas Lopez Rosado”, 53, of Dorchester.
Officials said Soto Baez and 11 of his associates were arrested over the past day and a half on several drug trafficking charges. During the arrests, federal investigators seized 1.6 kilograms of suspected cocaine, 150 grams of suspected cocaine case, 250 grams of suspected fentanyl, 100 bags of suspected controlled substances packaged for sale, $26,000 in cash and four firearms.
Soto Baez is scheduled to appear in New Hampshire federal court on Thursday. Ten of Soto Baez’s other associates have been indicted on the trafficking charges but have evaded arrest.
The following individuals were arrested and are scheduled to appear in court Thursday and Friday:
- Osvaldo David Soto Jimenez, aka “Tony,” 29, of Dorchester
- Flemin Soto Baez, aka “Carlos,” aka “Joel Rodriguez,” 38, of Manchester, New Hampshire
- Antonio Aguasvivas, aka “Toni,” 27, of Providence, Rhode Island
- Melissa Rey Ramos, aka “Ralphie,” 34, of Peabody
- Angel Leonel Fuentes Pizarro, 42, of Boston
- Luis Maldonado, aka “Tony,” 48, of Manchester, New Hampshire
- Katie Girgus, 29, of Manchester, New Hampshire
- Nickolas Starkey, 34, of Manchester, New Hampshire
- Dari Rafael Baez Martinez, aka “Chino,” 32, of Boston
- Gabriel Hernandez, 30, of Boston
- Brandon Rivera, 21, of Boston
The following individuals were indicted in the drug ring but have not yet been arrested:
- Alejandro Reyes Rosado, 29, his residence is unknown
- Maria Camacho, aka “Christina,” 43, of Manchester, New Hampshire
- Yefris Cruz Andujar, 23, of Providence, Rhode Island
- Hidequell Gonzalez Viscaino, 22, of Waterbury, Connecticut
- Daniel Beldin, 33, of Manchester, New Hampshire
- Leander Jose Rivera Soto, 28, of Boston
- Jose Cordero Ortiz, 37, of Boston
- Victor Arias Mejia, 38, of Manchester, New Hampshire
- Jhonattan Jimenez, 36, of Boston
- Alesha Neault, 37, of Manchester, New Hampshire
Federal investigators said the individuals trafficked drugs using a business model that included dispatch telephone numbers customers could call to order drugs, officials stated.
Drug runners would drive to meet customers at predetermined locations and sell them drugs, often inside the runners’ vehicles, officials added.