Peabody Suitcase Full Of Fentanyl Drug Deal Suspect Sentenced

PEABODY, MA — A Dominican woman accused of taking possession of a suitcase full of fentanyl worth $1 million in Peabody in 2021 was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison after being convicted of fentanyl possession in a 2019 case in U.S. District Court.

Ana Checo, 42, was sentenced to 135 months in prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of possession to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of valeryl fentanyl, as well as one count of money laundering conspiracy.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said on May 26, 2021, Checo met with a tractor-trailer driver in Peabody and received a suitcase containing 55 kilograms of fentanyl worth more than $1 million. The fentanyl was seized later that day.

"The devastating impact fentanyl continues to have on our communities cannot be overstated," Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said. "This sentence underscores our unwavering determination to identify and bring to justice those responsible for putting deadly fentanyl on our streets.

"Our office will continue to use every resource at our disposal to dismantle criminal enterprises that seek to profit off of addiction and misery."

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Check was part of a large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering organization working with drug suppliers based in Sinaloa, Mexico. She was accused of receiving large amounts of fentanyl as well as money that was laundered in Massachusetts and then sent back to Mexico.

In July 2019, the U.S. Attorney's Office said a search of Checo's residence resulted in the recovery of approximately more than 12 kilograms of narcotics — including seven kilograms of fentanyl, four kilograms of tramadol, one kilogram of a fentanyl and fentanyl analogue mixture and half a kilogram of a hallucinogen.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said the drugs were found stored in bags inside Checo's bedroom closet as well as her daughter's bedroom closet.

"Fentanyl is causing tremendous damage to the state of Massachusetts," said DEA Special Agent Brian Boyle. "Let this sentence be a warning to those traffickers who are distributing this poison in order to profit and destroy people's lives."