Dominican National Sentenced to 136 Months in Prison for Dealing Heroin

BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a Lawrence-based heroin trafficking conspiracy.

Juan Gonzalez-Arias, 42, a Dominican national formerly residing in Lawrence, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 136 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay forfeiture of $30,088, which was seized during a search of Gonzalez-Arias’ apartment. Gonzalez-Arias will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. On Jan. 9, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin, two counts of distribution of heroin, and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.

Following an investigation, search warrants were executed on July 12 and 13, 2015, at the residence of Gonzalez-Arias, where agents recovered a firearm, 1.5 kilograms of heroin and $30,088, and at the residence of Jerri Martinez-Tejeda and Yoelly Carmenatty where over $500,000 in cash was in the process of being counted and packaged; two handguns; various items for the processing and packaging of narcotics; and approximately one kilogram of what is believed to be a cutting agent, a substance used to dilute the purity of heroin prior to sale, were recovered.  Additionally, ledgers appearing to be part of the drug trafficking operation were recovered. Gonzalez-Arias, Martinez-Tejeda, and Carmenatty were arrested and charged - along with seven others - for their roles in the conspiracy.

In October 2016, Martinez-Tejeda was sentenced to 292 months in prison; and in January 2017, Carmenatty was sentenced to six years in prison. 

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, made the announcement today.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Kanwit of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.