Cape Cod Woman Among 10 Charged In MA, RI Fentanyl Trafficking Case

YARMOUTH, MA — Ten people were indicted by a federal grand jury this week on charges relating to their involvement in a drug trafficking organization charged with distributing fentanyl through the southeastern part of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts announced.

Among those charged with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl is Rebecca Bartholomew, 36, of Yarmouth.

The charges stem from a July 19 arrest which resulted in the seizure of nearly 15 kilograms of suspected fentanyl and "substantial amounts of cash," officials said.

According to the charging documents, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization led by Estarlin Ortiz-Alcantara operating in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island in March 2021.

Intercepted communications on numerous cellphones allegedly identified Mario Rafael Dominguez-Ortiz, Yeury Francisco Garcia-Rodriguez, Rafael Cesar Cabreja Jimenez and Alfredo Valdez as members of the organization who conspired with Ortiz-Alcantara to regularly distribute kilograms of fentanyl from a base of operations at a stash house in Fall River, the documents said.

The investigation also identified Bartholomew, Edwin Collazo, Jason Cruz, Michael Pacheco and Jose Santiago as alleged regular customers who re-distributed fentanyl to their own local customer bases in areas including Cape Cod, Taunton and New Bedford.

As part of the conspiracy, it is alleged that members of the organization, under Ortiz-Alcantara’s management and control, conducted drug transactions with these regular customers in public areas, including in the diaper aisle of a store and in supermarket parking lots.

It is also alleged that on at least one occasion, members of the organization transported drugs concealed in cereal boxes while accompanied by a child. Over 500 grams of suspected fentanyl were seized during the investigation through controlled purchases and drug seizures, officials said.

Facing the conspiracy charge, Bartholomew could face between 10 years and life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million.