United States Drug Enforcement Administration

( - BOSTON - A Dominican man, who most recently resided in Salem, was convicted yesterday of participating in a North Shore drug trafficking conspiracy.

Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division, United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Daniel J. Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division announced that Jaime Aristy, a/k/a Junito, 29, was convicted following a seven-day jury trial for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.  In November 2012, Aristy was indicted.  U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for March 25, 2015.

Aristy was one of eleven defendants charged with participation in a large-scale cocaine trafficking conspiracy between 2009 and 2012.  The conspiracy included several members of the same family, including Jaime Aristy, who were involved in the distribution of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine in Lynn, Salem, and Peabody.  The investigation included court-authorized wiretaps as well as the seizure of kilograms of cocaine, more than $100,000 in currency, and drug paraphernalia used by the criminal organization.  On Sept. 1, 2011, Aristy was arrested following a motor vehicle stop in Salem during which law enforcement officers recovered more than $93,000 in cash that was stashed in a shoe box on the back seat of the car, two cell phones used by the drug organization, and a drug ledger that reflected a series of drug transactions involving multiple kilograms of cocaine and tens of thousands of dollars. 

The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison and a minimum of three years of supervised release.  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.

  The Salem Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police also assisted with the investigation.  The case was tried by Katherine Ferguson, Linda M. Ricci, and David J. D'Addio of Ortiz’s Drug Task Force Unit.