Source: United States Department of Justice News
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was found guilty by a federal jury in Boston yesterday in connection with drug-trafficking activities involving fentanyl.
Ronald Carmona, 31, who most recently resided in Lawrence, was convicted following a week-long jury trial of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Nov. 21, 2022. Carmona was indicted in December 2019 by a federal grand jury and has been in custody since his arrest in October 2019.
“Distributing fentanyl in our Commonwealth causes significant harm to real people and their families. Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Mr. Carmona organized the sale of over an entire kilogram of fentanyl across five different drug deals. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. This conviction reflects my office’s relentless pursuit of those responsible for circulating dangerous drugs in our communities and fueling the opioid epidemic.”
“Ronald Carmona exploited the city of Lawrence as his drug-trafficking hub, dealing over one kilo of deadly fentanyl to anyone who could muster the cash to pay him, without a second thought to the harm he was inflicting upon his customers and his community,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Disrupting drug trafficking organizations like this one in which Mr. Carmona had a role is a critical part of our mission, and another example of how we are holding accountable those who are responsible for perpetuating the ongoing opioid crisis in our region.”
Between May 2019 and October 2019, Carmona arranged for and facilitated five separate sales of fentanyl to a long-time drug customer. Carmona then conspired with multiple other drug runners to deliver the fentanyl. All five drug deals totaled over one kilogram of fentanyl.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl each provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lawrence Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police and the New Hampshire State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel Yeager and Steve Hassink of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.