United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BOSTON – A Lowell man was sentenced on Jan. 20, 2023 in federal court in Boston for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

Jonathan Bermudez, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to time served (approximately 22 months in prison) and eight years of supervised release. In September 2020, Bermudez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

During the course of several months, using an undercover police officer, an investigation uncovered Bermudez’s fentanyl distribution operation. Although Bermudez was arrested on April 2, 2019, he connected the undercover police officer with his co-defendant so they could continue the fentanyl distribution operation.

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. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Massachusetts State Police; and the Andover, North Andover, Billerica, Chelmsford, Lowell and Lawrence Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime & 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.