United States Drug Enforcement Administration

CONCORD, N.H. – A Massachusetts man has been sentenced in federal court in Concord for his role as a drug runner in a conspiracy to distribute internationally sourced fentanyl operating out of Lawrence, Massachusetts., U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.

Ramon Jaquez Diaz, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro to 36 months in prison and three years of supervised release. The defendant was convicted by a federal jury for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl on April 6, 2023.

“For an international drug conspiracy to function, criminals perform various jobs- including delivering the drugs to suppliers and customers.  Regardless of the role, those involved in conspiracies to distribute fentanyl will be prosecuted and punished,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s crime and should serve as a deterrent to those who pollute our communities with this deadly poison.”

“New Hampshire is in the midst of a devastating opioid crisis, as deaths from fentanyl soar. The DEA will continue to use every resource available to identify those, like Mr. Diaz, who are contributing to the crisis,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Today’s sentence holds Mr. Diaz accountable for his crimes, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to put other callous distributers like him behind bars.”

At trial, the government introduced transcripts from recorded telephone conversations between Jaquez Diaz and his co-conspirators, wherein the co-defendants discussed Jaquez Diaz’s role as the runner in the New England area.  The evidence against the defendant also included law-enforcement surveillance.

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth R. Aframe, Heather A. Cherniske, and John Kennedy are prosecuting the case. 

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.