Providence Man Pleads Guilty To Trafficking Fentanyl

BOSTON – A Providence man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston yesterday in connection with a fentanyl conspiracy.

Dario Bier Romero, 28, of Providence, R.I., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Romero and co-defendant Gerson Franco Guerrero were arrested in June 2018 and have been in custody since their arrests.

On June 21, 2018, approximately three kilograms of fentanyl were seized from Romero and Guerrero during a federal investigation. During the execution of a search warrant at Romero’s residence in Providence, investigators seized an additional kilogram of fentanyl and drug packaging paraphernalia. 

Guerrero has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced today.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl carries a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Division, made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and Woburn and Providence (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.