Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A man from Tucson, Arizona, has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston for his involvement in distributing large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine and laundering the proceeds. Reginel Cazares, also known as “Junior,” age 37, admitted to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances—specifically 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five kilograms or more of cocaine—as well as conspiracy to launder money.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for May 6, 2026. Cazares was indicted on June 13, 2024.
Court filings indicate that in August 2023, a cooperating witness informed law enforcement about an individual called “Junior,” later identified as Cazares, who organized multi-kilogram shipments of fentanyl and cocaine from California to Massachusetts using tractor trailers. In November and December 2023, Cazares instructed the cooperating witness to collect drug proceeds in Massachusetts from two co-defendants; approximately $600,000 was picked up in Tewksbury at his direction. On February 16, 2024, he directed the same witness to pick up four kilograms of fentanyl and nine kilograms of cocaine in Ontario, California. The drugs were intended for delivery to Massachusetts and the Carolinas but were intercepted by law enforcement.
Cazares has a prior conviction for cocaine conspiracy from the District of New Jersey in 2012 and served a sentence of 57 months.
The charge related to distribution provides for a minimum sentence of ten years up to life imprisonment, supervised release ranging from five years up to life, and fines up to $10 million. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a potential sentence of up to twenty years in prison, three years supervised release, and fines reaching $500,000 or twice the value involved.
“United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today.” According to officials: “Valuable assistance was provided by the Riverside (Calif.), Bakersfield (Calif.) and Tucson (Ariz.) DEA Offices; San Bernadino County (Calif.) Sheriff’s Department; Inland Regional Narcotics Enforcement Team; the Methuen Police Department; and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF coordinates efforts across multiple agencies—including HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI—and local law enforcement partners under leadership from the United States Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts.
Authorities emphasized that charges against remaining defendants are allegations only; those individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
