Press Release  AG's Office Arraigns Lawrence Man Following Major Trafficking Operation

LAWRENCE — The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) today announced that Alonzo Del Carmen Soto Soto, age 48, of Lawrence, was arraigned in Lawrence District Court on a series of drug charges following a major narcotics takedown operation. The quantity of fentanyl seized from Soto Soto was approximately 4,400,000 milligrams, with a total street value of nearly $500,000. As the lethal dose of fentanyl is just two milligrams, the amount seized in this operation was enough to cause overdose deaths for 2.2 million people. 

Operation Tie Dye began in October 2024, when information from a source led members of the Massachusetts State Police (MSP), the AGO’s Enterprise and Major Crimes Division (EMCD), MSP’s Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team (CINRET-North), and the Methuen Police Department to investigate allegations that Soto Soto was distributing trafficking amounts of fentanyl in the Lawrence area.  

Throughout the months-long investigation, troopers conducted a series of nine controlled fentanyl purchases from Soto Soto. Extensive surveillance and review of cell phone data revealed that Soto Soto lived on Arlington Street in Lawrence, and investigators subsequently applied for and obtained search warrants for Soto Soto and his residence. 

On January 23, investigators placed Soto Soto under arrest outside of his residence after he ran from investigators and discarded a bag underneath a car. It was later determined that the bag contained about nine grams of cocaine and 15 compressed cylinders, commonly referred to as “fingers,” of suspected fentanyl that weighed approximately 138 grams. 

During a search of Soto Soto’s home, investigators located and seized approximately 4.25 additional kilograms of suspected fentanyl, several different sized pressers, various cutting agents, $9,000 in U.S. currency, and Soto Soto’s Dominican Republic passport. 

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is at least 50-100 times more potent than morphine. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s 2024 Threat Assessment, “fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced, killing nearly 38,000 Americans in the first six months of 2023 alone.”  

Soto Soto was charged with Trafficking Fentanyl over 100 grams and Trafficking Fentanyl over 200 grams. He was arraigned in Lawrence District Court on January 24 and is being held on $100,000 bail.  

This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Kimberly Gillespie with assistance from Senior Intelligence Analyst Jillian Bodreau, both of EMCD.

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