CONCORD - Enrique Perez, 58, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute on Aug. 13, 2019, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 21, 2018, an undercover law enforcement officer placed a call to Perez and made arrangements to purchase fentanyl. The undercover officer met Perez in a parking lot on Manchester Street and purchased fentanyl from him.
On Feb. 12, 2019, Perez was arrested after being stopped at a 7-Eleven in Manchester.
Perez is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 19, 2019.
“The illegal distribution of fentanyl is a menace to the citizens of New Hampshire," said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Through Operation S.O.S., the U.S. Attorney’s Office is working closely with our law enforcement partners in Hillsborough County to identify and prosecute those who distribute this deadly drug."
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.). In July of 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the District of New Hampshire and nine other federal districts. The goal of S.O.S. is to combat the large number of overdoses and deaths associated with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. In New Hampshire, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is focusing its efforts on prosecuting synthetic opioid trafficking cases arising in Hillsborough County, which includes Manchester and Nashua.
This matter was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police with assistance from the Manchester Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim H. Barth.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
