BOSTON — A New Bedford man will serve time in federal prison and then face deportation for his role in distributing fentanyl in the region, the U.S. Attorney said Tuesday.
Vinicio DeJesus Marrero Arias, 40, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement.
Arias will also be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence, Foley said.
In October, Arias pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Arias was identified as a fentanyl distributor in the area after an investigation into fentanyl trafficking in and around the Lord Phillips Apartments in New Bedford, prosecutors said.
Investigators recovered several hundred grams of fentanyl and $1.2 million in cash in suspected drug proceeds after a search of Arias’ home, another apartment being used as a stash location, and two storage units rented on behalf of Arias’s co-conspirator, Yohenry Contreras-Lara, prosecutors said.
Contreras-Lara pleaded guilty in November and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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