Leader Of Fentanyl Ring With Ties To Cape Cod Pleads Guilty

BOSTON, MA — The leader of a drug trafficking ring that helped facilitate the sale of fentanyl on Cape Cod recently pleaded guilty to three charges in federal court.

Estarlin Ortiz-Alcantara, 37, of Providence, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2024.

Each of the charges carries a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million.

Ortiz-Alcantara was alleged to be the leader of a drug trafficking organization that operated in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.

Between approximately February 2021 and July 2022, Ortiz-Alcantara managed a ring that distributed fentanyl across the region, including on Cape Cod.

As part of his organization's operations, Ortiz-Alcantara controlled a stash house in Fall River to store, process and distribute fentanyl, and employed numerous people who assisted with mixing, packaging and distributing fentanyl, officials said.

During a search of Ortiz-Alcantara’s stash house in July 2022, more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl, as well as items consistent with running a fentanyl business, including blenders, a hydraulic press and baggies were seized.

The case has been sweeping, with multiple people from the region brought up on charges. This includes one person from Cape Cod in Rebecca Bartholomew, of Yarmouth, who was indicted on a charge of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Bartholomew was an alleged regular customer of Ortiz-Alcantara, and re-distributed fentanyl to her own local customer base on Cape Cod, officials said.