FRAMINGHAM – The Marlborough Police Department assisted in a multi-agency investigation that led to the arrests of 13 individuals and the seizure of thousands of dollars’ worth of drugs, jewelry and vehicles.
The investigation was led by the Middlesex District Attorney’s office, the MetroWest Drug Task Force, Homeland Security New England and the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Financial Investigations Team. The MetroWest Drug Task Force is made up of detectives from Marlborough, Framingham, Ashland and Natick.
According to a press release from Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan’s office, as a result of the 19 search warrants executed on April 13, police seized approximately six kilograms of fentanyl, two kilograms of cocaine, 15 pounds of methamphetamine, 40 pounds of amphetamine and 15,000 pressed pills of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Some of the fentanyl and pills seized were found to contain xylazine, a tranquilizer that has been increasingly mixed with fentanyl and puts users at a higher risk of overdose and is not reversible with Narcan, according to the release.
Also seized was one unlawfully possessed firearm, three loaded magazines, more than $100,000 in cash, $200,000 worth of jewelry, and a pill press and other tools consistent with large-scale drug distribution.
Thirteen high-end vehicles valued in over $800,000 including a Mercedes Benz SDN, Mercedes Benz SW, Range Rover, Toyota Supra, BMW X6 and BMW i8, were also seized.
The investigation covered communities across multiple counties in Massachusetts with connections in Rhode Island and New York. The search warrants were executed in Framingham, Peabody, Worcester, Ashland, Lawrence, Northbridge, Woburn and North Smithfield, R.I.
On Feb. 23, a Middlesex Superior Court Justice issued a wiretap warrant authorizing the interception of electronic communications relating to drug trafficking.
According to the release, over the course of the investigation, police and prosecutors gathered evidence that Sandy Marte-Caraballo, 34, of Woburn, and Osny De La Cruz, 25, of Lawrence, were allegedly leading and operating a drug trafficking enterprise that included allegedly dealing fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and pressed pills to customers in the Woburn, Lawrence, Framingham, Natick, Ashland and Worcester area.
Also facing charges are Santos Martes, 31, of Peabody; Bryan Mendez, 28, of Worcester; Angel Battiata, 27; Roberto Castro, 34, of Worcester; Joshua Fontaine, 30, of Worcester; Charles Johnston, 62, of Ashland; Crystal Trauterman, 40, of Ashland; Maia Masso, 28, of Framingham; Cameron Trudell, 32, of Northbridge; Efrain Urena, 32, of Lawrence; and Ana Caraballo, 56, of Worcester.
