Cape Cod Man Linked To Pawtucket Heroin Operation Sentenced

BOSTON, MA — A Cape Cod man who admitted to his role in a Pawtucket-linked heroin trafficking conspiracy was sentenced in federal court Monday to five-and-a-half years in prison followed by six years of supervised release.

Eric Brando Jr. of Osterville is the first of a dozen defendants in the wide-ranging case to be sentenced, although three others have also pleaded guilty. A collection of suspects linked to Cape Cod and Pawtucket were arrested in May of 2019 following an investigation led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. In February of 2020 Brando, described as a lower-level distributor, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.

The man accused of being Brando's supplier — Edwin Otero — has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. According to a 46-page criminal complaint, Otero was a "violent Cape Cod-area drug trafficker" who was well-known to Barnstable police. The complaint refers to "The Otero Drug Cell" and lays out a statement of probable cause that features a Pawtucket address.

49 Grotto Ave., Pawtucket (Google Maps)

Otero, who maintained his primary residence on Cape Cod, also had an apartment at 49 Grotto Ave. in Pawtucket that he shared with co-defendant Justin Joseph. Investigators say the two used the place as a stash house and heroin distribution center. A third defendant, Anthony Basilici, lived in a separate apartment at the address, court documents state.

Agents with a cell phone warrant first tied Otero to the Pawtucket address on April 24, 2019 after he ordered a pizza delivery to the house, the criminal complaint states. Investigators followed up by procuring pole camera surveillance footage that showed Otero and others coming and going.

The original 2019 criminal complaint named Otero, Joseph, and Basilici. It also named Kimberly Lopes (identified as Otero's mother), Vinicius Zangrande, Krymeii Fray, Brooke Cotell, Joshua Johnson, Anthony Johnson, Ronny Baams, and Brando, all of towns on Cape Cod. A superseding indictment added Cameron Cartier of Buzzards Bay to the list of defendants.

Edwin Otero (Barnstable Police Department booking photo, 2019)

Otero remains in custody while awaiting trial, according to a July 23 status report filed with the court. Otero was named by prosecutors as ringleader of the heroin operation.

Otero is charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, distribution of heroin, aiding and abetting, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, being a felon in possession of a firearm, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, obstructing justice by tampering with a witness, victim, or informant by physical force or threat, and conspiracy to obstruct justice by retaliating against a witness, victim, or informant.

Prosecutors say that in April 2019, Otero, Joseph, Basilici, Cartier and another man lured a male victim from Massachusetts to Rhode Island, where they kidnapped him, stripped him naked, assaulted and threatened to rape him, and then took his clothing and cell phone. They also say Otero fired his gun at Fray over a drug debt. In a separate case, Otero and Joseph, described as Otero's top lieutenant, were stopped on 195 in Seekonk after leading Massachusetts State Police on a high-speed chase.