FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2009
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/MA
CONTACT: CHRISTINA DiIORIO-STERLING
PHONE: (617)748-3356
E-MAIL: USAMA.MEDIA@USDOJ.GOV
SPRINGFIELD MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG CHARGE
SPRINGFIELD, MA - A Springfield man pleaded guilty today in federal court of Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine.
Acting United States Attorney Michael K. Loucks and Steven Derr, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Boston Field Division, announced today that ELIAS MADERA, age 39, of Springfield, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Ponsor to Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine.
At today’s plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that had the case proceeded to trial, the Government’s evidence would have proven that from February 2006 through September 2006, MADERA helped to facilitate, along with his co-conspirators, the purchase and sale of 10 kilograms of powder cocaine in the Springfield area for later distribution to lower-level dealers.
Judge Ponsor scheduled sentencing for January 14, 2010. MADERA faces an agreed-upon sentence of 15 years imprisonment, to be followed by up to life on supervised release and up to a $4 million fine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant and Michelle Dineen Jerrett of Loucks’ Springfield Branch Unit.
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