More than 200 federal, state, and local law enforcement officials took part in “Operation Bad Company” which resulted in 30 arrests on drug and gun charges–several of the suspects were illegal immigrants.
The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Massachusetts announced that law enforcement officials completed raids aimed at targeting the growing fentanyl and heroin problem in Lawrence.
The operation, dubbed “Bad Company”, was a year-long investigation into a suspected “lucrative and sophisticated drug trafficking and distribution ring”.
The individuals charged in the federal indictments are:
- Juan Anibal Patrone, 26
- Domingo Gonzalez Martinez, 26
- Oscar Francisco Marcano Valverde, 38
- Josuel Moises Patrone-Gonzalez, 22
- Luis F. Lugo, 20
- Victor Alexander Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 24
- Daniel Diaz, 34
- Luis A. Perez-Tomassini, 29
- Leonel Vives, 30
- Santo Marino Nivar-Tejeda, 46
- Andreury Fana Burgos, 21
- Lacey Picariello, 33
- Matthew Shover, 29
- Rafael Omar Arias-Rodriguez, 37
- Rafael Arce, 46
- Reynaldo Duran Lora, 23
- Stacey Littlefield, 41
- Melvin Weatherspoon, 57
- Euclides Alcantara, 49
- Ramon Gonzalez Nival, 40
- Jose Rosado Sanchez, 46
- Julio Baez Gonzalez, 34
- Ruddy Rafael Soto Lara, 38
- Geronimo Confesor Gonzalez Nivar, 35
- Carlos Hernandez, 34
- Rory Connolly, 33
- Bernaldo Rosario Santiago, 25
- Diosmary Burgos, 39
- Caonablo Mayobanex Pol Montero, 45
- Shawn Keefe, 27
Authorities arrested and charged four individuals on immigration-related issues.
Agencies that took part in the investigation include the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Massachusetts State Police, Lawrence Police Department, Andover Police Department, Haverhill Police Department, Lowell Haverhill Police Department, and the Wilmington Police Department.
If convicted, defendants facing drug charges face a maximum of 20 years in prison; defendants charged for firearm related offenses face a maximum of 10 years in prison; those charged with immigration-related offenses face a maximum of 10 years in prison and are subject to deportation following the completion of any imposed sentence.
Breitbart Texas reported on May 28 that authorities arrested 52 suspected drug traffickers in Arkansas on a variety of drug charges involving fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and methamphetamine. On May 29, Breitbart Texas reported that authorities arrested 24 alleged drug traffickers in Utah who investigators believe have direct ties to Mexican drug cartels.
Ryan Saavedra is a contributor for Breitbart Texas and can be found on Twitter at @RealSaavedra.
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