Manchester Man Sentenced to 90 Months For Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses

            CONCORD - Brandon Andrade, 29, of Manchester, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, in December of 2018, the Manchester Police Department began an investigation after receiving information from a confidential source that Andrade was dealing in large quantities of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl throughout Manchester.

            On January 2, 2019, a cooperating individual bought approximately three grams of crack cocaine and approximately ten grams of fentanyl from Andrade.  During the drug transaction, Andrade was armed with a handgun.

            During a vehicle stop, Manchester police officers took Andrade into custody. An officer searched Andrade and found approximately 23.17 grams of fentanyl, .136 grams of cocaine base, and $1903.  Shortly after the arrest, Manchester police officers executed a search warrant on Andrade’s residence and seized a Ruger.380 pistol, 25.64 grams of cocaine base, and approximately 250.8 grams of fentanyl.

            Andrade previously pleaded guilty on September 30, 2019.  In addition to his prison sentence, Andrade forfeited the firearm, ammunition, and over $2,000 to the United States.

            “Drugs and guns are a potentially deadly combination,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “Armed drug dealers are a serious threat to public safety.  To protect communities in the Granite State, we will not hesitate to seek lengthy prison sentences for drug traffickers who use or possess guns.”

            “Gun and drug crimes are a scourge on our communities and hold good citizens hostage in their homes. Everyone deserves a community where they feel safe,” said Special Agent in Kelly D. Brady.  “ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to make sure they have it. We will continue to use our resources to take armed drug dealers off our streets and put them behind bars where they belong.”

            “Getting a known drug dealer like Brandon Andrade off the street is a great accomplishment,” says Manchester Police Chief Carlo Capano, “The Manchester Special Enforcement Division worked long hours to investigate this individual  and this positive result is a testament to the hard work this agency does every day as we work diligently to keep our city safe.”

            This matter was investigated by the Manchester Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joachim Barth and Debra M. Walsh.

            The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.          

            This case also is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.).  In July of 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the District of New Hampshire and nine other federal districts.  The goal of S.O.S. is to combat the large number of overdoses and deaths associated with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.   In New Hampshire, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is focusing its efforts on prosecuting synthetic opioid trafficking cases arising in Hillsborough County, which includes Manchester and Nashua. 

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