BOSTON (WHDH) - Twenty-three people have been charged in connection with a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization that allegedly manufactured and distributed 74,000 fake prescription pills containing deadly narcotics, according to U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Rachael Rollins.
The defendants were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to the charging documents, in 2018, law enforcement identified brothers Lawrence Michael Nagle and Christopher Nagle as leaders of a drug trafficking organization distributing controlled substances throughout the North Shore. Allegedly, their products included Adderall (both pharmaceutical-grade pills and counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine), methamphetamine, Xanax, Oxycodone (both pharmaceutical-grade and counterfeit pills containing fentanyl), cocaine and marijuana.
Others involved included Nelson Mora, Javier Bello and Anthony Bryson, who acted as intermediaries.
The investigation resulted in numerous seizures of controlled substances, including over 74,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing more than 24 kilograms; 591 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine; 1,000 counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl; and 101 counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.
While executing federal search warrants Tuesday morning, investigators found a pill press hidden under a sheet in a basement laundry room, plastic bags containing three to four kilograms of suspected powdered fentanyl in several colors, several suspected counterfeit Adderall and oxycodone pills and a firearm.
“These charges are an important step in slowing and ending the near constant stream of illegal drugs flowing into our communities,” said Rollins. “We allege the defendants participated in a large-scale drug ring that was prepared to distribute tens of thousands of counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine in addition to the counterfeit Adderall pills and counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that they were actually distributing into neighborhoods on the North Shore.”
Rollins added that many of these drugs were “(d)isguised to look like your average prescriptions from the pharmacy,” but contained substances including fentanyl, which is 100 times more potent than morphine.
“Massachusetts is in the midst of a devastating opioid crisis as deaths from deadly fake pills soar. The DEA will continue to use every resource available to identify those who are contributing to the crisis,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to put other callous distributers behind bars.”
These charges can carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million.
Police in Melrose, Lowell, Lynn, Beverly, Billerica, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott all assisted in the investigation.
Here’s the list of those charged:
- Lawrence Michael Nagle, a/k/a “Mikey,” 32, of Saugus;
- Christopher Nagle, a/k/a “Cuda,” 28, of Revere;
- Nelson Mora, a/k/a “Nellie,” 29, of Lynn;
- Javier Bello, a/k/a “Javi,” 27, of Beverly;
- Anthony Bryson, 33, of Billerica;
- Frantz Adolphe, 28, of Lynn;
- Raymond Kulakowski, 36, of Lynn;
- Soyanna Lages, 33, of Somerville;
- David Muise, a/k/a “Pinky,” 35, of Swampscott;
- David Delauri, 30, of Haverhill;
- Savannah Lee Bartone, 35, of Peabody;
- Lawrence M. Nagle Sr., a/k/a “Michael L. Nagle,” a/k/a “Tony Dias,” 54, of Lynn;
- Alexander Villar, 33 of Danvers;
- Kion Shepherd, a/k/a “Kilo,” 31, of Salem;
- Melvin Nieves, 23, of Lynn;
- Erick Solis Lopez, a/k/a “Wichy,” 24, of Salem;
- Christopher Tejeda, 21, of Lynn;
- Edward Ortiz, 32, of Swampscott;
- Justin Westmoreland, 24, of Saugus;
- Yaira Ramos-Rivera, 39, of Billerica;
- Jose Garcia, 45, of Roslindale;
- Anna Bryson, 59, of Saugus; and
- Chevon Dorce, 43, of Lynn.
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