FRAMINGHAM — Federal and local authorities cracked what they said was a large-scale drug operation, arresting 13 people and seizing more than 70 pounds of drugs, thousands of pills and more than a $1 million in cash, jewelry and vehicles.
In all, authorities served 19 search warrants in Framingham, Peabody, Worcester, Ashland, Lawrence, Northbridge, Woburn and North Smithfield, Rhode Island.
During those many searches on Thursday, police seized 6 kilograms (13.2 pounds) of fentanyl; 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of cocaine; 15 pounds of methamphetamines; 40 pounds of amphetamines; and 15,000 fentanyl and methamphetamine pills.
According to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, some fentanyl and pills were laced with xylazine, a tranquilizer that puts people at a high risk of overdose and cannot be treated with Narcan, a drug used to help those suffering from opioid overdoses.
According to the District Attorney's Office, the street value of the drugs was more than $7 million.
The investigation comes after a more than two-year investigation, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said during a press conference Thursday at the Framingham Police Station.
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She said the investigation was inspired by the work of the MetroWest Drug Task Force, which developed information while doing street level drug buys.
"This represents over two years of work, an enormous amount of investigation, constant monitoring of a wiretap since February until this week," said Ryan. "It's an enormous investment of resources by our office and by law enforcement, all in an effort to remove this product from the street."
Most troubling, she said, was the drugs laced with xylazine, due to Narcan not working with it.
"There's no question, with this product on the street, it would have led to overdoses," Ryan said.
More than drugs seized
Aside from the drugs, authorities seized an illegally possessed handgun; three loaded magazines; more than $100,000 in cash; $200,000 in jewelry; and 13 luxury vehicles worth more than $800,000. Police also seized a pill press.
The investigation involved the MetroWest Drug Task Force, which is comprised of officers from Framingham, Ashland, Natick and Marlborough, as well as the Massachusetts State Police, the New England office of Homeland Security and the Boston office's Drug Enforcement Agency.
Several other communities throughout the state assisted in the investigation.
According to authorities, investigators obtained a wiretap warrant from Middlesex Superior Court on Feb. 23. During the investigation, authorities determined that Sandy Marte-Carabello, of Woburn, and Osny De La Cruz, of Lawarence, were leading the organized drug ring, and that it included selling various narcotics in Framingham, Natick, Ashland, Woburn, Lawrence and Worcester.
During the investigation, detectives discovered some members of the drug ring were earning $5,000 to $6,000 a day, Ryan said.
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"Multiple kilograms were coming in on a weekly basis," said Ryan. "A single member of the operation boasted, in what we believe was a truthful boast, (that he) was making $2 million a year."
Framingham Police Chief Lester Baker said during the press conference that Thursday's arrests were important to people throughout the state.
"Everybody has someone in their life who has been affected by the opioid epidemic," he said. "This is truly great work for the community, not just here in Framingham, but the whole commonwealth."
The Ashland Police Department, in a statement, also praised the work by investigators.
"As part of the MetroWest Drug Taskforce, Ashland PD has been working for close to 2 years on this investigation. We are proud of the endless hours of hard work that went into making this case and the countless lives that were saved by getting these substances out of the hands of dealers and off the streets."
Who was arrested?
Those arrested and the charges are as follows:
- Marte-Caraballo, 34. Trafficking fentanyl; trafficking cocaine of more than 200 grams; trafficking methamphetamine; conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- De La Cruz, 25. Conspiracy to violate the drug laws; trafficking in fentanyl; trafficking in cocaine of more than 200 grams; trafficking in amphetamines; and trafficking in methamphetamines
- Santos Martes, 31, of Peabody. Conspiracy to violate the drug laws and trafficking in cocaine of more than 200 grams
- Bryan Mendez, 28, of Worcester. Conspiracy to violate the drug laws; and trafficking in cocaine of more than 200 grams
- Angel Battiata, 27. Trafficking of a Class B substance
- Roberto Castro, 34, of Worcester. Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Joshua Fontaine, 30, of Worcester. Conspiracy to violate the drug laws; trafficking in cocaine of more than 36 grams; trafficking in methamphetamines
- Charles Johnston, 62, of Ashland. Possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute; and conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Crystal Trauterman, 40, of Ashland. Possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute; and conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Maia Masso, 28, of Framingham. Conspiracy to violate the drug laws; and trafficking in cocaine of more than 36 grams
- Cameron Trudell, 32, of Northbridge. Conspiracy to violate the drug laws
- Efrain Urena, 32, of Lawrence. Conspiracy to violate the drug laws; and trafficking in cocaine of more than 200 grams
- Ana Caraballo, 56, of Worcester. Conspiracy to violate the drug laws; and trafficking in cocaine of more than 200 grams.
According to the District Attorney's Office, the investigation is still ongoing, and more charges are possible.
All 13 people were scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Framingham District Court.
Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow him on Twitter @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.
