Member of Brockton Drug Crew Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison

BOSTON – A member of a Brockton drug crew has been sentenced for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl.

Jason Miranda, 27, of Brockton, was sentenced on Feb. 17, 2023 by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 78 months in prison and six years of supervised release. On Sept. 14, 2022, Miranda pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, three counts of distribution of fentanyl and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

In 2019, an investigation began into a violent Brockton-area drug crew that distributed large quantities of fentanyl throughout southeastern Massachusetts. The drug crew ran a fentanyl delivery service that encompassed all of Brockton as well as neighboring cities. Specifically, drug users/customers placed orders for fentanyl by contacting a cell phone maintained and shared by crew members, which included brothers Jason Miranda and Natalio Miranda, Placido Pereira and Djoy Defrancesco, who worked together to deliver the fentanyl order.

“Despite having two previous convictions for drug distribution, and while out on release for a new drug distribution charge, Mr. Miranda chose to continue engaging in violent and destructive criminal activity. When you pump poison into our communities and profit off of people’s pain, we will find you and remove you from our communities,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “This career criminal and his fellow crew members plagued Southeastern Massachusetts with large quantities of deadly fentanyl. Massachusetts has lost far too many people to the opioid crisis. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, South Shore residents are safer.  This case should be another warning to drug traffickers, especially those who are career criminals: the time you are facing in federal court is significant and we will find you.”

“Today’s sentencing of Jason Miranda is an excellent example of the amazing cooperation between HSI New England and our state and local law enforcement partners,” said Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “Mr. Miranda’s sentence reflects the damage he and his co-conspirators have done to the Brockton community.  HSI New England will continue to exhaust every resource at our disposal to ensure criminals like Mr. Miranda are held accountable for their actions.”

Beginning in September 2019, an undercover law enforcement officer made six purchases of fentanyl from members of the crew. Jason Miranda participated in three of the six fentanyl sales. At the time of his sales, he was on release from state court on distribution of cocaine charges and had been twice convicted of state court drug distribution offenses. Placido Pereira participated in three of the six sales after he had previously been convicted in U.S. District Court in Boston of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base. Natalio Miranda engaged in one fentanyl sale while he was on probation for a state drug trafficking offense.

During a search where Jason Miranda had been residing, a black Glock .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol with a defaced serial number; two different ammunition clips containing 9 millimeter ammunition; a money counter; $28,000 in cash; and a painting of Jason Miranda holding up a large stack of cash were seized.

On Dec. 2, 2022, Placido Pereira pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. Judge Stearns scheduled sentencing for April 5, 2023. On Feb. 8, 2023, Natalio Miranda, the last of the four charged defendants, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and six counts of distribution of fentanyl. Judge Stearns scheduled sentencing for June 8, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Rollins; HSI SAC Millhollin; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez; Brian Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the East Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, Whitman and Bridgewater State University Police Departments as well as the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.