A 31-year-old Haverhill man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his role in a New England-wide fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Alex Noonan previously pleaded guilty Feb. 12 in U.S. District Court in New Hampshire. U.S. Attorney Scott W. Murray said Noonan worked for brothers Sergio and Raulin Martinez of Lawrence. The Martinez organization provided him with at least one 200-gram bag of fentanyl and expected him to sell it and return approximately $6,000, Murray said.
“This ten-year prison term sends a message to fentanyl traffickers,” Murray said. “Those who choose to distribute this deadly drug must understand that they face stiff penalties upon arrest and conviction.”
As WHAV previously reported, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and various police departments tracked the drug ring for more than a year, calling it a “vast network” of dealers who sold in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
More than 30 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, two guns and more than $500,000 were seized during the investigation.
Besides Noonan, Fernand V. Miranda, Miguel Alvarez and Trevor Ahearn, all of Haverhill, were among 45 people charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Among departments aiding in the investigation were Massachusetts and New Hampshire State Police, Essex County District Attorney’s office the and Haverhill and Methuen police departments.
Cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Seth R. Aframe.