A Boston man, Flemin Soto Baez, was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison for his involvement in a large-scale drug trafficking operation that distributed fentanyl and cocaine in New Hampshire. The sentencing took place in federal court in Concord, presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott.
Soto Baez, age 48, pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, specifically cocaine and fentanyl. He was among 21 individuals charged in April 2023 as part of the case. So far, 15 people connected to the conspiracy have been convicted. This includes Soto Baez’s brother, Juan Ramon Soto Baez, identified as the leader of the organization, who received a sentence of more than eight years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan commented on the sentencing: “This defendant perpetuated a drug trafficking operation that pushes deadly narcotics. They profited from addiction and suffering. Today’s sentence demonstrates that every member of these organizations will be held accountable for the damage they inflict on New Hampshire families.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the New England Field Division said: “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that those who choose to flood our communities with fentanyl and cocaine will be held accountable. Flemin Soto Baez played a significant role in a large-scale trafficking conspiracy that put countless lives at risk. The DEA and our law enforcement partners remain committed to dismantling these criminal networks and protecting our communities from the devastating impact of dangerous drugs.”
Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division, stated: “Fentanyl and cocaine have no place in New Hampshire and neither do the drug traffickers who sell it. Today’s sentence keeps Flemin Soto Baez behind bars for the key role he played in this multi-state drug trafficking operation. Every sale he orchestrated was a potentially deadly transaction, and the FBI and our partners won’t stop until all drug trafficking operations like this one have been disrupted.”
Court documents indicate that between July 2022 and March 2023, Soto Baez served as an organizer within a Massachusetts-based group distributing significant amounts of fentanyl and cocaine throughout New Hampshire, especially Manchester. The group operated using dispatch phone lines where customers could order narcotics; Soto Baez would receive orders by phone before sending runners to complete sales at predetermined locations.
Law enforcement searched an apartment linked to Soto Baez during his arrest in June 2023 and found over one kilogram of cocaine at the site.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), with support from the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar A. Vega prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—an initiative under which resources from various Department of Justice programs are combined to combat illegal immigration-related crime and target transnational criminal organizations involved with violent offenses.
