Boston Man Arrested in Counterfeit Fentanyl Pills Conspiracy

BOSTON – A Boston man was arrested yesterday for his alleged participation in a conspiracy to distribute thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl.

Alexis Radhames Diaz Tejeda, 44, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Following an initial appearance today in federal court in Boston before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein, Diaz Tejeda was detained pending a detention hearing which is scheduled for July 12, 2022.

“Counterfeit fentanyl pills put lives at risk, destroy communities and worsen the opioid crisis. These powerful pills are manufactured to look like regular prescriptions from a pharmacy, but beneath that disguise is a deadly narcotic,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “We believe Diaz Tejeda conspired to flood our neighborhoods with thousands of fentanyl pills. This arrest means that one less alleged drug trafficker, and approximately 5,000 fewer potentially deadly pills, are out on the streets of Boston threatening the health and safety of our residents. We will use every resource to stem the flow of fentanyl in our Commonwealth and remove drug traffickers from our communities.”

“DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling drug trafficking organizations and individuals like Mr. Diaz Tejeda who are responsible for distributing lethal drugs like counterfeit fentanyl pills to the citizens of Massachusetts,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “This arrest serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic with deadly drugs in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. DEA’s top priority is combating the opioid epidemic by working with our local, county, state and federal partners to bring to justice anyone who distributes this poison.”

According to the charging document, in October 2021, law enforcement began an investigation into the drug trafficking and money laundering activities of Diaz Tejeda and others. On March 7, 2022, during a video-recorded controlled purchase in Dorchester, Diaz Tejeda was allegedly captured providing a confidential source with 30 counterfeit fentanyl pills as a sample. It is alleged that, on June 1, 2022, Diaz Tejeda again met with the confidential source during a controlled purchase in Lawrence, this time providing the source with 1,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills weighing approximately 152 grams. On July 5, 2022 in Dorchester, Diaz Tejeda allegedly agreed to sell another 4,000 fentanyl pills to the confidential source and arranged for the deal to occur the following day in Dorchester. Diaz Tejeda was arrested on July 6, 2022 after greeting the source for the arranged deal. It is alleged that approximately 4,000 fentanyl pills weighing approximately 513 grams were recovered during a subsequent search of Diaz Tejeda’s residence.  

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

U.S. Attorney Rollins and DEA SAC Boyle made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department’s Gang Unit and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.