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Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mugshots released in Massachusetts ‘Operation No Love' fentanyl takedown
BOSTON (WWLP) – The mugshots of the 16 individuals arrested and charged during last month's multi-agency fentanyl and cocaine takedown operation have been released. On April 15 and 16, the Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team (CINRET) led a law enforcement team in the execution of search warrants across 20 locations in southeastern Massachusetts. These searches were conducted following an investigation beginning in March 2024, called 'Operation No Love.' Connecticut K-9 captures wanted fugitive working in Somers Massachusetts State Police said that members of CINRET-South and officers with the Brockton and East Bridgewater Police Departments had begun investigating a drug trafficking organization believed to be distributing fentanyl and cocaine in Bristol County. A State Trooper successfully conducted nine controlled drug purchases throughout the investigation. The undercover trooper and members of the investigative team were able to use surveillance, toll analysis, and electronic intercepts of cell phones to determine the drug trafficking organization's hierarchy, primary suspects, methods of operation, and narcotics supply. Law enforcement used this information 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 April 15, the team of over 200 law enforcement members executed these warrants. During the search, investigators seized approximately 2,280 grams of cocaine, 226 grams of fentanyl, 32 firearms, hundreds of ammunition rounds, high-capacity magazines, and $109,355 in suspected drug proceeds. On April 16, investigators returned to one of the target locations in Taunton based on further information provided and located a Diamondback 9mm pistol, an additional 1,028 grams of fentanyl, and 80 grams of cocaine. Courtesy of the Massachusetts State Police. Sixteen individuals were arrested following the operation and arraigned in various district courts. On Wednesday, these individuals' mugshots were provided by Massachusetts State Police, as well as images of several of the items seized during the search. 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Local News Headlines 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 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Yahoo
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. Woman charged with OUI in Bedford following crash with toddler in backseat 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 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
