Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Conspiracy and Distribution Charges

BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to conspiracy and distribution charges involving large quantities of fentanyl.

Leisy Baez-Zapata, 22, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and aiding and abetting. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 29, 2021. Baez-Zapata was charged by criminal complaint on July 26, 2019. 

According to court documents, beginning in October 2018, federal agents began investigating a Lawrence-based drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl in the Lawrence area of Massachusetts. Between October 2018 and July 2019, federal agents used a cooperating witness to make controlled purchases of fentanyl from the drug trafficking organization. On July 25, 2019, Baez-Zapata delivered approximately one kilogram of fentanyl as part of one of those controlled purchases. 

The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl each provide 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. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.