Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Lynn resident, Harvey Rodriguez, also known as “Big Opp,” was sentenced on April 24 in federal court in Boston to 10 years in prison for his role in a long-term drug conspiracy and an armed robbery that took place in January 2023.
The case is significant due to the multi-year nature of the drug operation and the involvement of firearms during a violent robbery. The sentence aims to address both public safety concerns and ongoing efforts against organized drug trafficking.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. He was arrested and charged in August 2025. According to court documents, Rodriguez participated with other distributors, including Vincent Caruso (“Fatz”), Lawrence Michael Nagle, Jr., and Schuyler Oppenheimer (“SK”), manufacturing counterfeit prescription pills and selling large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl throughout Massachusetts. Investigators found that Rodriguez distributed cocaine and methamphetamine on four occasions during the investigation.
The press release describes how on Jan. 30, 2023, Rodriguez took part in an armed robbery at an apartment in Woburn where he pointed semiautomatic pistols at a drug customer along with Claudio Melo before stealing $24,000 intended for purchasing cocaine. After forcing the victim to open a safe—which turned out empty—Rodriguez left with the cash proceeds from prior drug activities.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley said assistance came from multiple agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston office, Drug Enforcement Administration, Massachusetts State Police, and Lynn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts advances community initiatives focused on civil rights protection and violence prevention according to its official website. The office operates from facilities at the John Joseph Moakley United States Federal Courthouse in Boston as well as branch offices located in Springfield and Worcester according to its official website. It is part of the United States Department of Justice according to its official website.
With over 200 attorneys, paralegals, and professional staff according to its official website, the office enforces federal laws through prosecution of crimes such as national security threats or civil rights violations according to its official website. Serving all residents across Massachusetts according to its official website, it handles prosecutions of federal crimes as well as civil litigation for the United States government while promoting public safety statewide; it traces its origins back to 1789 as one of America’s earliest such entities according to its official website.
