16 charged in major fentanyl and cocaine trafficking takedown in Mass.
BOSTON (WWLP) – A multi-agency operation across 20 locations on Tuesday and Wednesday resulted in the arrests of 16 alleged distributors from Massachusetts and thousands of grams of fentanyl and cocaine.
The Mass. Attorney General's Office (AGO) announced on Saturday that this joint operation, called 'Operation No Love,' began in March 2024 when members of the State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team (CINRET) began a narcotics investigation into a drug trafficking organization.
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The organization was allegedly involved in distributing fentanyl and cocaine in Bristol County. During the investigation, an undercover trooper conducted nine controlled drug purchases with a member of the drug trafficking group.
The investigative team then used surveillance, toll analysis, and court-authorized intercepts of cell phones to identify information about the organization, such as the hierarchy, primary suspects, vehicles, and narcotics supply sources.
By gaining this information, investigators were able to obtain search warrants for 11 locations in Taunton, two locations in Raynham, four locations in Fall River, and one location each in Falmouth, Pembroke, and Norton. On Tuesday morning, the team comprised of nearly 200 troopers and officers conducted searches at all locations.
In total, investigators seized approximately 2,280 grams of cocaine, 336 grams of fentanyl, 32 firearms, hundreds of ammunition rounds, high-capacity magazines, and $109,355 in suspected drug proceeds.
On Wednesday, CINRET investigators, along with Fall River officers, received additional information regarding one of the Taunton locations and returned for another search. They found a loaded Diamondback 9mm pistol, another 1,028 grams of fentanyl, and 80 grams of cocaine.
The following suspects were arrested and arraigned in various district courts:
Yosef Ali, 49, of Fall River
Trafficking in Fentanyl, 100 grams or More (1 count)
Trafficking in Cocaine, 200 grams or More (1 count)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Bail set at $75,000
Jean Carlos Castillo Mendoza, 44, of Fall River
Trafficking in Fentanyl, 100 grams or More (1 count)
Trafficking in Cocaine, 200 grams or More (1 count)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Bail set at $150,000
Jorge Santiago, 36, of Taunton
Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class B Substance (2 counts)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Bail set at $20,000
Jorge Arce, 46, of Taunton
Trafficking in Cocaine, 200 grams or More (1 count)
Trafficking in Fentanyl, 36 grams or More (1 count)
Possession of Ammunition without FID Card (1 count)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Bail set at $100,000
Neftali Torres, 51, of Taunton
Trafficking in Cocaine, 100 grams or More (1 count)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Bail set at $25,000
Christopher McLaughlin, 43, of Taunton
Trafficking in Cocaine, 18 grams or More (1 count)
Trafficking in Fentanyl, 18 grams or More (1 count)
Held without Bail
Shawn Roias, 35, of Taunton
Trafficking in Cocaine, 200 grams or More (1 count)
Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class D Substance (1 count)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Possession of a Large Capacity Feeding Device (1 count)
Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony (1 count)
Bail set at $25,000
Courtney Whitmore, 27, of Taunton
Trafficking in Cocaine, 200 grams or More (1 count)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Bail set at $10,000
Val Bettencourt, 50, of Taunton
Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class B Substance, Subsequent Offense (1 count)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Bail set at $10,000
Brayton Crites, 26, of Taunton
Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class A Substance, Subsequent Offense (2 counts)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Bail set at $20,000
Andrew Williams, 27, of Raynham
Trafficking in Cocaine, 18 grams or More (5 counts)
Trafficking in Cocaine, 36 grams or More (2 counts)
Distribution of a Class B Substance (3 counts)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Bail set at $25,000
Sabrina Cohen, 27, of Taunton
Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class B Substance (1 count)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Bail set at $1,000
Lucas Guimaraes, 29, of Norton
Trafficking in Cocaine, 36 grams or More (1 count)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Bail set at $25,000
Brian Szakaly, 27, of Raynham
Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class B Substance (1 count)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony (1 count)
Bail set at $15,000
David Brasil, 45, of Falmouth
Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class a Class B Substance (1 count)
Possession of a Class C Substance (1 count)
Conspiracy to Violate the Drug Laws (1 count)
Bail set at $500
Mary Hunt, 59, of Falmouth
Possession of a Class B Substance
Bail set at Personal Recognizance
Lucas Guimaraes will also be arraigned at a later date in Attleboro District Court on the following charges:
Trafficking Cocaine, 100 grams or more (1 Count)
Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (1 Count)
Possession of a Firearm without FID Card (1 Count)
Possession of Ammunition without FID Card (1 Count)
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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