Lowell Man Convicted Of Fentanyl, Heroin Conspiracy

LOWELL, MA – A Lowell man was convicted Wednesday by a federal jury of conspiring with others in the Lawrence and Lowell areas to deal more than 40 grams of fentanyl, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Bernaldo Rosario Santiago, 27, known as "Bori," was part of a drug trafficking organization and dealt in large quantities of fentanyl, according to authorities.

He was arrested and charged along with Juan Anibal Patrone and Ramon Gonzalez Nival, the alleged heads of two Lawrence-based drug trafficking organizations, and 30 co-conspirators, authorities said.

As a re-distributor, Santiago received fentanyl from Gonzalez Nival and others, according to the USAO. In March of 2017, Santiago was stopped in Dracut carrying 89 grams of fentanyl in his pocket. He was also caught on wiretaps discussing drug deals, including the need to "give it more of the...the fentanyl stuff so that those [expletive] fall asleep," authorities said.

Police also found text messages with Santiago's alleged customers, including one sent to him that read, "Are you coming I'm sick from not doing it."

Santiago was convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and at least 40 grams of fentanyl. He will be sentenced Sept. 19

Gonzalez Nival has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 5. Patrone has pleaded not guilty and will stand trial in October.

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