Dominican National Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for heroin trafficking.

Angel Martinez-Peguero, 30, who previously resided in Lawrence, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 10 years in prison and four years of supervised release.

In November 2020, Martinez-Peguero pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In January 2019, Angel was charged along with his brother, Alexander Martinez-Peguero, 38, who was sentenced to 30 months in prison in December 2020.

On Dec. 20, 2018, investigators seized nearly one kilogram of heroin from the Martinez-Peguero brothers during a law enforcement operation in Lawrence. Investigators also seized a loaded semi-automatic pistol from Angel Martinez-Peguero’s waistband upon his arrest. During a search of the Martinez-Peguero brother’s residence agents seized over $15,000 cash and $17,000 worth of jewelry.

United States Attorney Andrew Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Division; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.