A Dominican national residing in Boston has been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl. Santo Rafael Franco Andujar, initially charged under the alias "John Doe," received his sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani. This will be followed by five years of supervised release.
In November 2024, a federal jury convicted Franco Andujar of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The case against him included evidence from June and July 2021, when he sold over 100 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in Lawrence, captured on a recording device. He was arrested in September 2021 while possessing more than 100 grams of fentanyl.
During the investigation, law enforcement observed Franco Andujar traveling to an apartment in Boston before selling fentanyl. A search warrant executed at this location led to the discovery of over a kilogram of fentanyl hidden inside a wall.
Franco Andujar was originally charged under a pseudonym because he used the stolen identity of a Puerto Rican man at his arrest time. After his conviction, he disclosed his true identity as part of an agreement with law enforcement. He is present illegally in the United States and has agreed to provide information to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation eligibility assessment.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration New England Field Division. The Lawrence Police Department provided valuable assistance during the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Lauren A. Graber prosecuted the case.
