Press Release  Lawrence Man Indicted in Connection With Running a Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking Operation

Salem — A Lawrence man has been indicted in connection with allegedly running a drug network that trafficked hundreds of grams of fentanyl and heroin on the North Shore, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Santos Figueroa, age 35, was indicted Monday by an Essex County Grand Jury on the charges of Trafficking over 100 grams of Heroin (one count) and Trafficking Fentanyl (one count). He will be arraigned on the charges at a later date in Essex Superior Court. 

In April 2017, authorities began an investigation into an alleged drug trafficking operation they believed was responsible for distributing drugs in Lawrence.

Figueroa was arrested on April 20 in Lawrence in a joint operation with State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, the State Police Drug Trafficking Unit (TDU), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Lawrence Police Department.

During the execution of a search warrant at Figueroa’s residence, authorities seized more than 120 grams of heroin and more than 180 grams of fentanyl, along with tools and materials used for packing and distributing narcotics.

Massachusetts law enforcement has seen a significant increase in the presence of fentanyl, especially in drug overdoses and deaths. Essex County is one of the counties in the state with the highest rate of overdoses. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is estimated to be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. Drug traffickers frequently mix the drug with heroin, without the knowledge of the buyer. It can be deadly in even low doses.

Legislation to criminalize the trafficking of fentanyl went into effect in February 2016. Prior to the law going into effect, 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.

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

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

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Sara Yoffe, of AG Healey’s Criminal Bureau, with assistance from State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, the Massachusetts State Police Transportation Drug Unit (TDU), the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Lawrence Police Department.

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