United States Drug Enforcement Administration

NEW YORK - Joon H. Kim, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Mario Herrera, a/k/a “Mo,” was sentenced today to 151 months in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine and oxycodone. Herrera pled guilty to one count of narcotics conspiracy on June 2, 2017, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara C. Moses. U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska imposed today’s sentence. 

According to the Indictment and other documents filed in federal court, statements made at various proceedings in this case, and materials presented at the sentencing hearing:

From in or about late 2012 up to and including in or about December 2015, Herrera was the leader of a drug trafficking (the “Herrera DTO”) that distributed large quantities of oxycodone and cocaine in the Bronx and elsewhere. As part of his plea, Herrera admitted his involvement in the distribution of the equivalent of 40,000 oxycodone 30-milligram pills. In order to obtain the oxycodone that the Herrera DTO distributed, Herrera, among other things, obtained stolen prescription pads, fabricated oxycodone prescriptions, and then pretended to be a doctor when called by pharmacies to verify the prescriptions. In addition, Herrera purchased oxycodone from legitimate prescription holders and others in his community for redistribution.  Herrera also coordinated the procurement and distribution of cocaine. As part of this cocaine distribution, Herrera traveled to Mexico, Texas, and elsewhere.     

In addition to the prison term, Herrera, 32, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to seven years of supervised release. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “Mario Herrera led a massive drug trafficking organization that stole and forged prescriptions to illegally distribute an estimated 40,000 oxycodone pills. Herrera’s contribution to the ongoing opioid crisis has now earned him over 12 years in federal prison. We commend the hard work of the DEA and ATF on this important case.”

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York Division of the DEA and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in this investigation. 

This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gina Castellano, Jordan Estes, and Jason A. Richman are in charge of the prosecution.