Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Heroin Charges

BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty today in connection with drug trafficking charges.

Freiber Betancourth, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and heroin and one count of distributing fentanyl and heroin. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 29, 2019.  

Betancourth worked for a Massachusetts Department of Transportation / EZ Pass contractor in Auburn, Mass. Between June and September 2018, Betancourth distributed heroin and fentanyl on multiple occasions, including in the parking lot outside of his workplace. In addition, he stored drugs in his office. Betancourth obtained these drugs from Albeiro Gomez, sold the drugs to a particular customer, and then provided most of the cash proceeds to Gomez.

Gomez, 48, of Worcester, was indicted on May 16, 2019, on charges of distribution of heroin and fentanyl.

Betancourth faces a minimum sentence of five years and no greater than 40 years in prison, a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Massachusetts State Police provided assistance with the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Abely and John Mulcahy of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.