A 36-year-old Haverhill man was sentenced Tuesday to nine years in prison for distributing tens of thousands of pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Angel Joel Diaz, also known as “Guero,” was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns. Diaz pleaded guilty last April to distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and methadone.
Police began investigating Diaz during January 2023 when an undercover officer contacted Diaz posing as a potential customer. Diaz provided the undercover officer with 208 pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine, saying the pills were made with “fentanyl” and they were “knocking people down in New York.”
Again, on Jan. 27 and Feb. 7, 2023, prosecutors said Diaz distributed thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing suspected fentanyl to the undercover officer. On Feb. 14, 2023, Diaz sent a photo of fentanyl pills to the undercover officer and said, “even making it with a mask makes you want to vomit and everything.”
Diaz was arrested On Feb. 15, 2023, while carrying a shopping bag containing 31,142 fentanyl pills separated into seven plastic bags. During a subsequent search of Diaz’s Haverhill home, two pill presses; thousands of pills; powder containing fentanyl and methadone; stamps used to make counterfeit pills; several masks; and chemicals used in manufacturing pills were discovered.
In all, more than 6 kilograms of substances containing fentanyl, 381 grams of substances containing methamphetamine, and 81 grams of substances containing methadone were seized from Diaz.