Press Release  AG Healey Indicts Lynn Man for Trafficking Fentanyl After Multi-Agency Investigation

Boston — A Lynn man was indicted yesterday by an Essex County Grand Jury in connection with trafficking more than 80 grams of fentanyl after a joint investigation by state, local and federal authorities, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Alexis Pimentel, 28, was arrested in June 2018 as part of a joint operation by State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, the AG’s Digital Evidence Lab, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team (CINRET), and the Lynn and Beverly Police Departments. Authorities arrested Pimentel after discovering 80 grams of fentanyl packaged for distribution while executing a search warrant at his home.  

Pimentel was charged with Trafficking of Fentanyl, Over 10 Grams (one count). He will be arraigned in Salem Superior Court at a later date and is being held on $30,000 cash bail.

These charges are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Since taking office, AG Healey has made combatting the opioid epidemic a priority. AG Healey filed and advocated for state legislation criminalizing the trafficking of fentanyl that was passed into law in February 2016. Before the law was passed, drug traffickers could only be charged with the lesser crimes of manufacturing, distributing or possessing fentanyl, regardless of the quantity of the drug they were caught with.

In partnership with the Massachusetts State Police, the AG’s Office formed a Fentanyl Strike Force with a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The strike force works to target heroin and fentanyl traffickers and dismantle their distribution networks across Massachusetts. The funds have expanded the AG’s Office’s own drug enforcement work and helped build enhanced partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Megan McLaughlin of AG Healey’s Enterprise, Major and Cyber Crimes Division. The case was investigated by State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, the AG’s Digital Evidence Lab, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team (CINRET) and the Lynn and Beverly Police Departments.

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