Five Men Charged In Heroin And Cocaine Trafficking Ring
BOSTON - Five men were charged in U.S. District Court in Worcester on Friday, Aug. 7, 2015, with heroin and cocaine trafficking throughout Worcester County.
Jose Lugo, 53, of Providence, R.I.; Hugo Santana-Dones, 41, and Felix Melendez, 39, of Leominster; Osvaldo Vasquez, 47, of Worcester; and Elvis Genao, 26, of Fitchburg, were charged in a complaint with conspiring to distribute in excess of 100 grams of heroin and cocaine and distribution in excess of 100 grams of heroin. Vasquez, Santana-Dones, Lugo, and Melendez, were also charged with using a telecommunication facility in furtherance of a narcotics trafficking offense. At a hearing today, Genao, Melendez and Santana-Dones were ordered detained pending trial. A detention hearing for Vasquez and Lugo is scheduled for Aug.19, 2015, at 2:00 p.m.
According to court documents, between August 2014 and August 2015, the defendants conspired to distribute heroin and cocaine throughout Worcester County. It is further alleged that controlled purchases in excess of 100 grams of heroin from each of the defendants were recorded during the course of the conspiracy.
The charges of conspiring to distribute in excess of 100 grams of heroin and cocaine, and distributing more than 100 grams of heroin, provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and no more than forty years in jail, a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of using a telecommunications facility in furtherance of a violent felony provides for no greater than four years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Michael J. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England and United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Vincent B. Lisi, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Worcester Police Chief Gary J. Gemme, made the announcement
The details contained charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
