United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with his role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Two others previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy.

Leonardo Lara, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving five kilograms or more of cocaine. U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025.

Previously, co-defendants Merced Navarro Morfin, 44, of Lunenberg and Leandro Martinez, 43, or Lawrence, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge. Navarro Morfin pleaded guilty to an additional count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Navarro Morfin’s sentencing is scheduled for May 6, 2025. Martinez’s sentencing is scheduled for May 7, 2025.

A federal grand jury indicted Lara, Navarro Morfin and Martinez on Aug. 3, 2023.

In April 2022 an investigation revealed that Lara was in possession of $230,000 in drug proceeds that he sought to send to Mexico. On April 20, 2022, Lara was stopped on Interstate-84 in Sturbridge and approximately $40,000 in drug proceeds was found hidden in baby-wipe containers in the trunk. Approximately 36 minutes after the traffic stop concluded, Martinez and Navarro Morfin were observed travelling to Lara’s residence and removing eight kilograms of cocaine. Another kilogram of cocaine, and approximately $196,000 in bundled cash, were found in the car Martinez and Navarro Morfin had traveled in.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, involving five kilograms or more of cocaine, provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute cocaine provide for a maximum of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Samuel R. Feldman and Katherine Ferguson of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.