Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Southbridge man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role as chief lieutenant of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed cocaine and fentanyl across the North Shore and Central Massachusetts. Ismael Maysonet, 44, received the sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman in Worcester federal court, along with five years of supervised release.
Maysonet was convicted in February 2025 after a six-day jury trial on charges including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and fentanyl, as well as possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. He was initially charged in September 2022 alongside 21 co-conspirators.
Between August 2021 and August 2022, authorities identified Maysonet as the chief lieutenant for a Southbridge-based DTO led by Jonathan Pizarro Gonzalez and Isaac Gonzalez. The group distributed drugs both to retail customers and other dealers. The organization frequently used the United States mail system to move narcotics, receiving large shipments of cocaine from Puerto Rico and sending packages containing fentanyl to Florida and other locations.
As chief lieutenant, Maysonet managed key aspects of the DTO’s operations. His responsibilities included coordinating receipt of narcotics shipments from Puerto Rico, negotiating with suppliers, transporting both drugs and proceeds between customers and suppliers, and packaging fentanyl for distribution—particularly for shipment to Isaac Gonzalez’s residence in Florida. During the investigation, when law enforcement seized a package containing cocaine, Maysonet approached postal workers directly about its whereabouts.
During his trial in February 2025, Maysonet also threatened a federal witness in open court.
Authorities seized approximately nine kilograms of cocaine sent through the mail during their investigation, along with 800 grams of fentanyl from various DTO members. Maysonet was found responsible for distributing over 700 grams of fentanyl and three kilograms of cocaine.
Both leaders of the DTO pleaded guilty earlier this year; Jonathan Pizarro Gonzalez received a ten-year sentence while Isaac Gonzalez was sentenced to fifteen years in June 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley stated: “Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service, Massachusetts State Police, Southbridge Police Department, Lawrence Police Department, Essex County Sherriff’s Department and Worcester County Sheriff’s Department.” She added that Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen W. Hassink and Samuel R. Feldman prosecuted the case.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation designed to identify and dismantle high-level criminal organizations through coordinated efforts among multiple agencies using intelligence-driven strategies. More information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Officials remind that charges listed against remaining defendants are allegations; those individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
