Man Charged In Big North Andover Drug Bust Facing Life In Prison

NORTH ANDOVER, MA -- The California man arrested in North Andover last week after police broke up a big drug bust could face a life sentence if convicted on the charges. Agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency, Homeland Security and the Massachusetts State Police arrested Daniel Hernandez Ixta, 37, of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, and charged him with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of one kilogram or more of heroin and 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Ixta is allegedly an associate of a drug dealer who flew to Massachusetts to sell 11 kilograms of drugs for $517,000.

The most serious charge, possession with intent to distribute and distribution of one kilogram or more of heroin, carries a sentence of 10 years to life in prison, 5 years to life of supervised release and up to $10 million in fines.

Local, state and federal law enforcement officers seized 5,000 pills, four kilograms of suspected heroin and five kilograms of suspected fentanyl. According to court documents, an unnamed person agreed to purchase the drugs, which were to be delivered to the warehouse. Hernandez met with the buyer on August 29. After giving the buyer a black duffel bag, agents moved in and arrested him.

The bag contained nine kilograms of suspected drugs. The remaining two kilograms and the pills were found in Hernandez's truck.

Hernandez was arraigned in federal court in Boston on August 31 and was in court again Tuesday for a hearing.

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Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).