United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BOSTON – A Lawrence man has been sentenced for his role in distributing fentanyl.

Albert Ventura, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 32 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In November 2022, Ventura pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Ventura has been in federal custody since June 9, 2022.

On several occasions between September 2020 and March 2022, Ventura sold over 70 grams of fentanyl – including to undercover law enforcement. 

United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.