A Dominican national residing in Chelsea, Massachusetts, Junior Baez Sanchez, was sentenced to three years in federal prison for fentanyl trafficking. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris. Baez Sanchez, 32, will face deportation following the completion of his prison term.
In January 2025, Baez Sanchez admitted guilt to two counts of distributing fentanyl and one count of failing to appear for a court date. He had been involved in distributing over 40 grams of fentanyl in two separate incidents—one in Chelsea on June 2, 2020, and another in Malden on July 15, 2020.
Baez Sanchez was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2021 and was scheduled for trial in October 2022. However, he failed to appear in court on October 4, 2022, prompting the issuance of an arrest warrant. Two years later, on September 24, 2024, law enforcement arrested him, finding 12 clear bags of fentanyl in his pocket.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division. Special assistance in the case was provided by the Chelsea Police Department, and the prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division.
