A Puerto Rico resident has entered a guilty plea in federal court in Concord for his involvement in a conspiracy to traffic cocaine to New Hampshire using the United States Postal Service. Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announced the development.
Joshua Baez Core, aged 26, admitted guilt to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, specifically cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante has set the sentencing date for June 9, 2025. Baez Core was indicted on December 20, 2023, along with five other individuals involved in the case. Two co-conspirators have been convicted so far.
Court documents and statements revealed that Baez Core participated in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for shipping cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester, New Hampshire. Operating from Puerto Rico, he used false sender information to mail packages containing cocaine at his father's instruction. The drugs were concealed inside children's games and shipped in bundles weighing either 500 grams or 1,000 grams each.
After dispatching each package, Baez Core would provide tracking details to his father, who then arranged for associates to track and collect the packages at various locations in Manchester. In addition to coordinating shipments, his father sent him suspected drug proceeds; on one occasion, this included $11,000 sent via parcel post. Between September 2020 and December 2021, the DTO transported over 5.6 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico for distribution in Manchester.
The charge carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment, with a minimum of three years supervised release and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing decisions are made by a federal district court judge following U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The investigation was led by the United States Postal Inspection Service with support from the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is handling prosecution duties.
