A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty on Aug. 4 in federal court to a drug trafficking conspiracy involving methamphetamine and fentanyl, according to U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan.
Roberto Ramon-Avalo, 27, admitted guilt to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Chief Judge Samantha D. Elliott scheduled Avalo’s sentencing for November 9, 2026.
Court documents show that beginning in early 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating an individual selling large quantities of methamphetamine in Rochester, New Hampshire. Two cooperating sources with the DEA communicated with another individual to purchase methamphetamine and fentanyl; each time, Avalo traveled from Massachusetts to New Hampshire for delivery at an agreed price. In December 2025, agents obtained a search warrant for a suspected Boston drug house used by Avalo and another person. Inside the residence, law enforcement found packaging materials and approximately five pounds of methamphetamine along with other controlled substances. Following his arrest, additional drugs were discovered hidden inside Avalo’s car dashboard: more than 200 grams of methamphetamine and over 700 grams of fentanyl.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of up to twenty years’ incarceration, at least three years supervised release, and up to $1 million in fines. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge under United States Sentencing Guidelines and applicable statutes.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation with assistance from Portsmouth Police Department, Somersworth Police Department, and New Hampshire State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew T. Hunter and Charles DeJoie are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159—Protecting the American People Against Invasion—which focuses on dismantling criminal cartels and transnational organizations operating within or against the United States through interagency collaboration among entities such as FBI, HSI, IRS Criminal Investigation Division (IRS), DEA, ATF (Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives), US Marshals Service (USMS), Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), led locally by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire is a federal law enforcement entity functioning under direction from the United States Attorney General; it handles prosecutions of federal crimes as well as civil cases involving government interests. It also builds alliances with law enforcement agencies at all levels while serving state residents through representation in federal court proceedings—all aimed at enhancing community well-being—according to its official website.