Nantucket Gang Associate Pleads Guilty to Dealing Fentanyl and Cocaine

BOSTON – A Nantucket man who is an associate of the transnational criminal organization 18th Street Gang, pleaded guilty on Nov. 6, 2025, to drug distribution charges.

John Angel, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. United States District Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Feb. 19, 2026.

In March 2024 and July 2024, Angel met with a cooperating witness to sell narcotics. Specifically, on March 27, 2024, Angel directed the cooperating witness to meet him in East Boston, where he sold approximately 50 grams of powder fentanyl. Later, on July 10, 2024, Angel met the cooperating witness on Nantucket and sold more powder fentanyl together with a quantity of cocaine.

The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; the Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Falmouth, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred Wyshak and Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division are 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.