According to a press release from the Massachusetts Department of Justice, six people have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that involved shipments of packages containing kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl from California for further distribution in Massachusetts:
- Edwal Vargas, a/k/a “Max,” 34, of Swampscott, Mass., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; one count of money laundering conspiracy; and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine;
- Yanivel Gomez, a/k/a “Ashley,” 31, of Peabody, Mass., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of money laundering conspiracy;
- George Salvatore Landingham, 33, of North Andover, Mass., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine;
- Stephanie Tejeda, 33, of Hudson, N.H., was indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy;
- Tyrone Shepherd, 41, of Chestnut Hill, Mass., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; and
- Gustavo Tavares, 44, of Studio City, Calif., was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
According to the criminal documents, conspiracy participants mailed more than 260 UPS shipments from California to various addresses in Massachusetts. It is claimed that some of those parcels were intercepted throughout the investigation and discovered to contain about 12 kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of fentanyl.
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The accusation of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled narcotics carries a minimum punishment of ten years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. The charge of possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $10 million. A federal district court judge imposes sentences based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the legislation that govern sentence determination in criminal cases.
The statement was made today by United States Attorney Leah Foley, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, and Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division. K. Nathaniel Yeager, an Assistant United States Attorney in the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit, is prosecuting the case.
The Boston Homeland Security Task Force investigated and prosecuted the case as part of Operation Take Back America.
The details in the charge document are allegations. The defendants are deemed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
