A Puerto Rican man, previously residing in Manchester, has admitted guilt in federal court for leading a cocaine distribution conspiracy. Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announced the development.
Lewistone Baez Miranda, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He is the third of six individuals charged in this case to enter a guilty plea. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante has set sentencing for May 7, 2025. Baez Miranda was indicted on December 20, 2023.
Court documents and statements reveal that Baez Miranda led a drug trafficking organization that transported cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester, New Hampshire. His son, located in Puerto Rico, used false information to send packages containing cocaine via the United States Postal Service to Manchester under his father's direction. The drugs were often concealed in children's games and sent in bundles weighing either 500 grams or 1,000 grams. Co-conspirators were employed by Baez Miranda to collect these packages upon arrival in Manchester. Additionally, he sent suspected drug profits back to his son in Puerto Rico; one parcel contained $11,000. Between September 2020 and December 2021, over 5.6 kilograms of cocaine were shipped from Puerto Rico to Manchester for redistribution by the organization.
The statute under which Baez Miranda was charged carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment, at least three years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing decisions are made by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The investigation was spearheaded by the United States Postal Inspection Service with significant support from the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is handling the prosecution.
