Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Lawrence resident, Jose Dolores Batista, was found guilty on November 20, 2025, for his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy that included methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. The conviction followed a four-day jury trial in Boston. Batista, 65, worked as a taxi driver and acted as a courier for a drug trafficking organization distributing significant quantities of illegal drugs.
Authorities arrested Batista in June 2023. According to evidence presented during the trial, Batista routinely delivered drugs, transported traffickers, and collected payments from customers on behalf of the organization. On one occasion, he picked up $8,000 as partial payment for a kilogram of fentanyl. He also transported a kilogram of cocaine from South Lawrence to Boston in exchange for $15,000 and collected 350 grams of fentanyl in Lowell.
The charge against Batista carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine reaching $1 million. Sentencing will be determined by U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV at a later date.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley stated: "United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement." She noted that local police departments from Natick, Newton, Waltham and Brookline assisted with the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Dell’Anno and J. Mackenzie Duane are leading the prosecution.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation that aims to dismantle major criminal organizations through coordinated efforts among multiple agencies using intelligence-led strategies. More information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
