Fitchburg Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl, Crack Cocaine and Cocaine Conspiracy

BOSTON – A Fitchburg man pleaded guilty today to his role in a fentanyl and crack cocaine trafficking conspiracy. The defendant sold drugs to customers in the Fitchburg area and had associates sell drugs on his behalf.

Alberto Nunez, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine), fentanyl and cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for May 10, 2021. Nunez was charged by federal criminal complaint in February 2020.

From approximately November 2019 to February 2020, Nunez conspired with others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base, fentanyl and cocaine in Worcester County and elsewhere in Massachusetts. As part of a federal investigation into drug trafficking in the Fitchburg area in September 2018, Nunez was identified as a drug dealer who regularly distributed fentanyl and cocaine base to multiple drug customers. Nunez delivered the drugs to his customers himself and also had multiple associates deliver fentanyl and cocaine base to customers on his behalf. Most of Nunez’s customers were drug users, but some further distributed the drugs they purchased from Nunez.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, fentanyl and cocaine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. The Fitchburg and Lunenburg Police Departments also provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.