Lawrence Man Sentenced to More Than Three and a Half Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy
Nearly two kilograms of fentanyl found inside cereal box
BOSTON – A Lawrence man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Fraily Rodriguez Morillo, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor, IV to 46 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. In February 2024, Morillo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue; three counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue.
Morillo was indicted by a federal grand jury along with Melvin Antonio Perez Medina and Manuel Fredis Guerrero Guzman in November 2022.
Between March 2022 and August 2022, Morillo, Perez Medina and Guzman conspired to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, in Lawrence, Woburn, Wilmington and Andover.
In March 2022, Morillo and Guzman met with a cooperating witness to negotiate future drug deals, including the price that Guzman would charge for fentanyl and for cocaine. On two separate occasions in April 2022 Morillo distributed 50 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in Lawrence. In July 2022, Morillo worked with Perez Medina to distribute nearly 130 grams of fentanyl on one occasion, and over 560 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and p-fluorofentanyl (a fentanyl analogue) on another occasion, to a cooperating witness and Woburn. In total, Morillo is responsible for the distribution of approximately 230 grams of fentanyl and 560 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and p-fluorofentanyl (a fentanyl analogue).
In August 2022, Perez Medina was arrested and found in possession of nearly two kilograms of a mixture containing fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue. The nearly two kilograms were found secreted inside of a cereal box.
On Jan. 18, 2024, Perez Medina was sentenced to 64 months in prison and three years of supervised release after previously pleasing guilty to his role in the conspiracy. In March 2024, Guzman pleaded guilty and on May 30, 2024 Guzman was sentenced to 21 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. The Massachusetts Department of Correction; the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Watertown, Reading, Peabody, Hudson, Concord and Waltham Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
