Anyelo Aybar-Franco, a 25-year-old from Lawrence, Massachusetts, was sentenced on Friday, October 20, to three years in prison and an additional three years of supervised release, subsequent to admitting guilt to one count of possession with intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl. This admission came during his pretrial release for an earlier, separate fentanyl offense, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.
On October 2020, authorities spotted Aybar-Franco in the process of attempting to conduct a suspected drug deal in Lawrence. Following his apprehension, officers seized more than 65 grams of fentanyl from him—an opioid that's up to 50 times stronger than heroin and holds significant potential to endanger individuals and communities. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a mere 2 milligrams of this potent drug can be lethal for most people.
Aybar-Franco was additionally on state pretrial release for a separate distribution offense charged only two months prior to his October arrest.
A host of law enforcement agencies, including the DEA, the Essex County Sheriff's Department, Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, and the Lawrence Police Department, worked hand in hand to ensure that the arrest and subsequent prosecution of Aybar-Franco came to fruition. The sentencing announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA's Boston Field Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell'Anno prosecuted the case on behalf of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit according to the official announcement.
