'Devil's Highway' Defendant Pleads Guilty To Selling Fentanyl

LAWRENCE, MA — John Mena, 24, of Lawrence pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, prosecutors said. Mena was one of dozens of people arrested over the summer as part of the "Devil's Highway" Merrimack Valley drug trafficking investigation. He was arrested in Lawrence on July 16, 2019.

"According to court documents, Mena sold approximately 13g of fentanyl in a transaction that an undercover agent witnessed," the U.S. Attorney's office said in a release.

The "Devil's Highway" investigation, involving more than two dozen law enforcement agencies, focused on drug distribution in Lawrence and drug trafficking between Lawrence and New Hampshire. Prosecutors initially said 38 people had been charged in federal court, but upped that number to 40 in the latest report. Another dozen were charged in state court.

Mena pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge WIlliam G. Young. He is due to be sentenced on April 6, 2020.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.