Stoughton Man Gets 8 Years For Cocaine Trafficking

STOUGHTON, MA — A Stoughton man who took part in a South Shore cocaine distribution operation will spend time behind bars.

Angel Morales, 46, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Boston last week to eight years in prison and three years of probation. In September 2017, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, distribution of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

From late February 2016 until July 19, 2016, Morales conspired with co-defendant Roberto Fonseca-Rivera of Roslindale and others to distribute cocaine in Canton, Stoughton, Randolph, Quincy, and Weymouth. Morales asked Fonseca-Rivera to receive packages containing cocaine that were being shipped from Puerto Rico to locations in Randolph and Canton, where Fonseca-Rivera had rented private mailboxes. Fonseca-Rivera received at least eight packages from Puerto Rico and delivered them to Morales, who paid Fonseca-Rivera for receiving the cocaine. Morales had a similar arrangement with another individual who also received packages of cocaine on behalf of Morales. Morales and Fonseca-Rivera then distributed the cocaine to other individuals, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

A search warrant was executed at Morales’ Stoughton apartment on July 19. Law enforcement officials seized about $11,000 in cash, more than 100 grams of cocaine, a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and two magazines containing 15 rounds of ammunition each, a box containing an additional 10 rounds of ammunition, and various drug trafficking paraphernalia.

Fonseca-Rivera pleaded guilty to similar charges on Sept. 11, 2017, and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 26, 2018.

Information in this story was provided by the U.S. Attorney's office.

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