Lawrence, Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing Crack Cocaine And Heroin With Intent To Sell In Nashua

          CONCORD – Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith announced today that Santiago Marino Reyes-Lara, a/k/a Jean Carlos Sotomayor-Venerio, 27, of Lawrence, Massachusetts pleaded guilty today to unlawful possession with the intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) and heroin.  Reyes-Lara appeared before United States District Court Judge Paul J. Barbadoro to enter his guilty plea.

          According to documents that were filed in United States District Court, Reyes-Lara was arrested in Nashua on April 22, 2014 after a vehicle he was operating was found to contain 22 grams of cocaine base (“crack”) and 6.5 grams of heroin. The drugs were hidden in a tire jack.

          Reyes-Lara’s arrest was part of a long term investigation by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Nashua and Hudson, New Hampshire Police Departments into the trafficking of cocaine base (“crack”), cocaine and heroin in and around Nashua and Hudson, New Hampshire areas by Lawrence, Massachusetts-based narcotics traffickers.  As a result of the four year investigation, sixteen individuals, including Reyes-Lara, were arrested, and approximately $60,000 and multiple vehicles were seized, many of which contained electronic hidden compartments to transport the narcotics into New Hampshire. Narcotics seizures included approximately 1,000 grams of cocaine, 300 grams of heroin, and 200 grams of cocaine base (“crack”).

          "Our office will continue to work with local, state and federal law enforcement to identify, investigate and prosecute drug traffickers," stated  Acting United States Attorney Donald Feith.  "This case demonstrates the excellent results that can be achieved when we combine our resources to take those individuals who would profit from the sale of drugs off the streets."

          A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for September 8, 2015.  Reyes-Lara faces a maximum sentence of twenty years.  He is subject to the advisory sentencing guidelines which will likely generate a sentencing range that is less than twenty years.