Federal prosecutors say a coast-to-coast pipeline of cocaine and fentanyl ran through ordinary UPS boxes, with more than 260 packages shipped from California to Massachusetts before investigators moved in. Several of those parcels were seized, and authorities allege the scheme funneled drugs across state lines for local street distribution.
Grand jury names six defendants
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley's office said a federal grand jury in Boston returned indictments late last month, after investigators seized multiple packages that allegedly held about 12 kilograms of cocaine and roughly 1 kilogram of fentanyl, according to The Boston Globe. The indictments name Edwal “Max” Vargas of Swampscott; Yanivel “Ashley” Gomez of Peabody; George Salvatore Landingham of North Andover; Stephanie Tejeda of Hudson, N.H.; Tyrone Shepherd of Chestnut Hill; and Gustavo Taveras of Studio City, Calif.
Several of the defendants have pleaded not guilty at arraignments, and Taveras was scheduled for a Thursday arraignment, The Boston Globe reported.
Parcels as a trafficking method
Prosecutors allege the conspiracy relied on more than 260 UPS packages sent from California to multiple Massachusetts addresses, with investigators flagging and intercepting a number of suspect parcels along the way. Using commercial shippers and the mail to move kilogram quantities of drugs is a tactic federal agents say they have been seeing more often in recent years.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General has documented cases in which traffickers tap postal and private courier networks to move large loads of cocaine and fentanyl, highlighting why parcel interceptions have become a major enforcement focus.
How this fits into recent prosecutions
Federal prosecutors in Massachusetts have repeatedly gone after cases in which drug shipments are mailed in from out of state. In one January 2025 case, the U.S. Attorney's Office charged a man after court documents said he mailed multiple boxes of cocaine from California to Fall River, according to a Department of Justice release.
Those prosecutions show how federal, state and local agencies coordinate on parcel interdiction and trafficking investigations, and they mirror the multi-jurisdictional work that prosecutors say led to the latest round of indictments. Investigators have held back some operational details while the cases remain active in federal court.
Charges, arraignments and penalties
According to The Boston Globe, Vargas, Gomez, Landingham and Shepherd are charged with drug distribution conspiracy, while Gomez and Tejeda also face money-laundering conspiracy counts. All defendants who have appeared so far have pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors say additional filings could shape the charges as the case heads toward pretrial hearings.
What it means for Massachusetts neighborhoods
Prosecutors say pulling kilogram-level quantities of cocaine and fentanyl out of circulation underscores the public-safety stakes for the communities where the parcels were headed. Local law enforcement officials describe parcel interdiction as one of the few ways to slow the steady flow of drugs into neighborhoods while federal cases grind through the courts.
Federal authorities did not immediately provide additional details, and more information is expected as courts unseal documents and arraignments continue. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston and partner agencies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
