A 26-year-old Lawrence man, who was arrested two years ago for negotiating the sale of the deadly drug fentanyl at an unnamed Haverhill restaurant, was sentenced to a decade in prison.
Jefri Paulino was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV recently to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Paulino pleaded guiltylast October to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine and unlawful reentry of a deported alien. He has been in federal custody since his arrest.
According to U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins’ office, in September 2020, Paulino agreed to sell a confidential informant approximately one kilogram of fentanyl and 50 grams of cocaine at a restaurant in Haverhill. Paulino was arrested upon his arrival for the drug deal and was found in possession of individual plastic bags that contained the drugs.
Paulino was previously convicted of fentanyl trafficking in 2017 for which he was sentenced to three years in prison and was deported in November 2018.