Lawrence Man Sentenced for Cocaine Conspiracy

BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a cocaine conspiracy.

Juan Ulfany Mateo Soto, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to six years in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2017, Mateo Soto pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of conspiracy to attempt to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. In December 2016, Mateo Soto was arrested and charged with five co-defendants: Maximo Rodriguez, Hector Gomez, Angel Torres Leon, Angel Figueras, and Wallington Garcia.  

On Oct. 27, 2016, Mateo Soto arranged to obtain six kilograms of cocaine from Torres Leon. Officers observed the transaction, and subsequently stopped Mateo Soto as he drove away with the drugs. Mateo Soto did not have a valid driver’s license, so officers towed the vehicle and subsequently found and seized the six kilograms of cocaine from a backpack in the car.

After the vehicle was towed, not knowing that the police had seized the cocaine, Mateo Soto and his co-defendants attempted to retrieve the drugs from the car, first as it was being towed, and later at the tow yard.

Maximo Rodriguez was scheduled for jury trial on Feb. 20, 2018, but failed to appear. He is currently a fugitive. Angel Torres Leon and Angel Figueras were sentenced in December 2017 to 40 months in prison and time-served, respectively. Hector Gomez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15, 2018, and Wallington Garcia’s case was dismissed.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Michael Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; and Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Winkler of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the cases.