Two men were arrested on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019, and charged with conspiracy to distribute banned drug fentanyl. The men allegedly used an elderly housing complex run by the Methuen Housing Authority to package drugs and conduct drug sales.
Steven Perez, of Lowell, and Anthony Holloway, of Methuen, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, Perez and Holloway were detained pending a detention and probable cause hearing set for Dec. 19, 2019.
According to the charging documents, over the course of several months, law enforcement investigated Perez and Holloway's fentanyl distribution operation from a house complex meant for elderly residents.
United States Attorney Andrew Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston Field Office; and Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Lelling's Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Sentence as per law
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
[Disclaimer: The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.]
