Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A former Quincy resident, Samuel Jean-Baptiste, also known as “Jett Black,” was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute nearly 10 pounds of methamphetamine. The sentencing took place on January 21, 2026, in Boston’s federal court before U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young. In addition to the prison term, Jean-Baptiste will serve five years of supervised release.
Jean-Baptiste, age 39 and currently living in Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. He was arrested in May 2024 and indicted by a federal grand jury two months later.
Authorities identified Jean-Baptiste as a significant distributor of controlled substances in the Boston area during July 2023. A confidential source conducted three controlled purchases from him totaling over 680 grams of fentanyl. In the following months, he arranged through another confidential source to sell approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine. On May 29, 2024, he arrived at a prearranged location for the sale and was arrested while carrying a backpack containing about 10 pounds of suspected methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley stated: "This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion." Foley continued: "The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad." She added: "Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders."
The HSTF focuses on investigating and prosecuting those involved in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. It also uses available legal tools to prosecute and remove violent criminal aliens from the country. The Boston division includes agents from multiple federal agencies such as HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS along with state and local law enforcement partners; prosecutions are led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts.
Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Division joined U.S. Attorney Foley in announcing this outcome. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan from the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted this case.
