Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Federal Drug and Firearms Charges

BANGOR, Maine:  A Dorchester, Massachusetts man was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and aiding and abetting the straw purchase of firearms, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.

U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Sergio Figueroa aka “Kash,” 26, to seven years in prison and four years of supervised release. Figueroa pleaded guilty on October 19, 2021.

According to court records, in April 2021, Figueroa conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. As part of the conspiracy, he used a residence in Bangor to store and distribute drugs. On April 21, 2021, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency executed a search warrant at the Bangor residence. Upon searching Figueroa’s bedroom, agents found 80 grams of fentanyl and $1,680 in cash along with a loaded .380 caliber pistol. Figueroa was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of a prior Maine felony conviction.

Earlier, in a separate January 2020 incident, court records show that Figueroa arranged for a straw purchaser to buy two pistols for him from a federal firearm licensee in Androscoggin County. While purchasing the firearms, the straw purchaser responded “Yes” to a question on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives form that asked whether the purchaser was the actual buyer of the firearms. In truth, the straw purchaser bought the firearms at Figueroa’s instruction, using money provided by Figueroa, and gave the firearms to Figueroa minutes after the sale. It is against federal law to aid and abet the provision of false information to federal firearm licensees when purchasing firearms from them.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Lewiston Police Department.

Project Safe Neighborhoods: Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, community leaders and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. Project Safe Neighborhoods is coordinated by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories, and the program is customized to account for local violent crime problems and resources. Across all districts, Project Safe Neighborhoods follows four key design elements of successful violent crime reduction initiatives: community engagement, prevention and intervention, focused and strategic enforcement, and accountability.

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