State Agents Nab 10 Trafficking Heroin, Fentanyl In Central MA

WORCESTER, MA—Ten were arrested and charged in federal court on Wednesday in connection with trafficking drugs in Central Massachusetts. Three Lawrence men and a Leominster man were arrested. Six additional defendants, most from Worcester, were charged by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office with state drug offenses.

Carlos Rodriguez, 42; Ernesto Rodriguez, 48; and Joshua Sanchez, 27, all of Lawrence, and Jorge Burgos, 39, of Leominster, were charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute in excess of 100 grams of heroin and fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and use of a telecommunications facility in furtherance of narcotics trafficking. Sanchez and Burgos appeared in federal court in Worcester today and were ordered detained pending a detention hearing on Feb. 16, 2018. Carlos and Ernesto Rodriguez will appear in federal court in Worcester Thursday.

Based on wiretaps of discussion, the defendants purchased heroin and fentanyl in November and December of 2017, and agents surveilled Burgos buying heroin for resale from Carlos Rodriguez, Ernesto Rodriguez, and others.

Agents also stopped Sanchez leaving Carlos Rodiguez's home and found 60 grams of heroin on him. The following day, Dec. 18, 2017, agents stopped Carlos Rodriguez after a tip and recovered approximately 50 grams of suspected heroin/fentanyl. Further investigation led to the recovery of at least 100 additional grams of suspected heroin and fentanyl from Ernesto Rodriguez.

Additional intercepts of Burgos’ phone on Dec. 27, 2017, included discussions that agents believed to relate to a number of firearms hidden on Burgos’ property.

The Massachusetts Attorney General’s office charged six more individuals associated with the investigation with state crimes. Jose Ortiz, 57; Roberto Ortiz 58; and Gilberto Victoriano 51, all of Worcester, were each charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of conspiracy to violate the drug laws.

Caroline Cartagena, 43, of Worcester, was charged with one count of trafficking in over 200 grams of cocaine.

Tina Murphy, 40, of Shirley, was charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to violate the drug laws.

The remaining defendant is still at-large.

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