Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
Two men from Lawrence, Massachusetts, have been charged in connection with an alleged drug manufacturing operation. Jose Vasquez Lantigua, 47, and Manuel Santana-Soto, 35, were each charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, as well as manufacturing and possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute. Both remain in state custody following their arrest on August 28, 2025. A third individual, Joshua Morales, was also arrested and is currently in federal custody after being charged on August 29.
According to charging documents, Morales was seen entering and leaving a known drug distribution site located in a third-floor apartment in Methuen. He was later detained in Lawrence where authorities allegedly found 10,000 counterfeit Percocet pills believed to contain fentanyl during a search of his vehicle.
Authorities searching the Methuen residence reported finding fresh footprints in powders suspected to be controlled substances. The footprints led down an interior staircase to a second-floor apartment where Lantigua and Santana-Soto were encountered. Officers observed that both men wore flip flops matching the powdered footprints. Charging documents allege that Lantigua and Santana-Soto fled from the third-floor unit into another tenant’s second-floor apartment before officers entered.
A search of the third-floor apartment uncovered an automated pill press along with several kilograms of counterfeit Adderall and Percocet pills believed to contain fentanyl and methamphetamine. Investigators also found various items used for pill manufacturing such as cutting agents, blenders, scales, bowls and bags containing suspected fentanyl or methamphetamine powders.
If convicted on either charge—conspiracy or manufacturing/possessing with intent—the defendants face up to 20 years in prison for each count, at least three years up to life of supervised release and fines up to $1 million per count. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge according to U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
“United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Methuen Police Chief Scott J. McNamara made the announcement today.” Valuable assistance came from multiple agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms; Drug Enforcement Administration; Essex and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Lynn Police Department; Medford Police Department; and Peabody Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard is prosecuting this case as part of Operation Take Back America—a national initiative coordinated by the Department of Justice aiming to combat illegal immigration impacts on crime networks while targeting cartels and transnational criminal organizations through combined resources like Project Safe Neighborhoods.
The allegations described are not proof of guilt; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in court.
