JUL 20 -- BOSTON, MA - On July 6, 2009, a Worcester man was sentenced in federal court for offenses involving the distribution of cocaine and crack cocaine and possession of a firearm.

Steven W. Derr, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Boston Field Division, Acting, United States Attorney Michael K. Loucks, Glenn N. Anderson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Boston Field Division, Colonel Mark Delaney, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, Chief Gary Gemme of the Worcester Police Department and Chief John J. Romero of the Lawrence Police Department announced that CARLOS BAEZ, age 31, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor, IV to 25 years imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. On March 30, 2009, BAEZ pled guilty to the following offenses: distributing approximately 78 grams of crack cocaine, attempting to distribute one kilogram of cocaine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

At the earlier plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that had the case proceeded to trial the Government’s evidence would have proven that on or about January 24, 2008, BAEZ agreed to purchase one kilogram of cocaine from an undercover police officer for $27,500. BAEZ drove to a pre-arranged location in Lawrence to complete the deal and was arrested upon his arrival. A later search of BAEZ's residence in Worcester revealed approximately 70 grams of crack cocaine, a .357 revolver, ammunition, drug paraphernalia and additional cash.

The case was investigated by the DEA’s Worcester Tactical Diversion Squad in conjunction with ATF, the Massachusetts State Police Worcester County Detectives Unit, the Massachusetts State Police Essex County Detectives Office, the Worcester Police Department and the Lawrence Police Department.