Security News: Boston Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Possessing Over 200 Counterfeit Fentanyl Pills

Source: United States Department of Justice News

BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced on July 21, 2022 for possessing hundreds of pressed fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone intended for distribution.

Diamondez Pierre, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. On March 25, 2021, Pierre pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.

“The impact of the opioid crisis in our communities has been catastrophic. It is taking more and more lives by the minute. Mr. Pierre contributed to and, moreover, profited off this devastation, pain and suffering by trafficking fentanyl disguised as pharmaceutical grade prescription pills,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “To say fentanyl is dangerous would be a gross understatement – it is deadly. Getting fentanyl traffickers who seek to exploit addiction for a profit off of our streets is critical and mandatory in addressing the opioid epidemic. My office and our law enforcement partners will continue putting drug traffickers out of business. We must protect the health and safety of our Commonwealth.”

“We are currently facing a crisis with the amount of illicit drugs flowing into our neighborhoods, today’s sentencing demonstrates that if you peddle this poison, you will be held accountable,” said James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to target individuals who deal this dangerous drug and ensure that they are brought to justice.”

On Aug. 8, 2020, law enforcement stopped Pierre in his vehicle in Brockton. A search of Pierre’s vehicle resulted in the recovery of a backpack that contained 204 blue pressed fentanyl pills, disguised as “Perc 30” oxycodone pills, intended for distribution.

U.S. Attorney Rollins, ATF SAC Ferguson and Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley Jr. of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.