A Boston man has copped to slinging dope across the nation, pleading guilty to charges in a far-reaching cocaine and fentanyl distribution plot, federal prosecutors said Monday. Francis Jose Perez-Baez, 41, entered his plea in Worcester's federal court for his involvement in the large-scale trafficking conspiracy, which included ferrying massive amounts of the deadly drugs throughout the United States.
In a story first reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Perez-Baez admitted to the conspiracy and distribution charges that could potentially lock him away for life. A sentencing hearing is set for April 25, 2024. The convicted man was one of multiple defendants nabbed in the drug ring crackdown, but his attorney could not be immediately reached for comment.
Law enforcement agencies had their eye on Perez-Baez for his role in the scheme, where he worked as a Boston-based distributor for a Mexico-based cartel. The network used commercial trucks to move cocaine, and Perez-Baez was responsible for the New England end of the route. He shelled out roughly $280,000 to cover his drug debts to this organization, the feds said.
In his dealings, Perez-Baez also handed over half a kilo of fentanyl to an informant in 2020, not to mention another 200 grams the following year, authorities disclosed. These acts alone could earn him a severe sentence, given that conspiracy and possession to distribute sizable amounts of both cocaine and fentanyl carry minimum mandatory penalties of a decade up to a lifetime in prison.
As part of the bust, another player in this network, Carlos Longoria, had already faced the music earlier this year, receiving a 34-month prison sentence, as confirmed by federal authorities. The bust is a feather in the cap of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), whose mission is to dismantle villainous outfits like the one Perez-Baez was a part of.
While the prosecutors remain vigilant and the court proceedings continue, it is important to remember that charges against the other defendants are still merely allegations. They'll stay presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
