Man pleads guilty to forcing boy to sell fentanyl

A Dominican national pleaded guilty last week to forcing a young boy to sell fentanyl out of a Roslindale apartment on two occasions.

Snolbert Ramirez-Sandoval, 23, formerly of Dorchester, in a July 26, 2018, fentanyl deal, instructed the buyer to go to a Roslindale apartment where two young boys — one between the ages of 10 and 14 and another between 2 and 6 years old — were home alone, according to federal authorities.

The older boy led the buyer to the room in which Ramirez-Sandoval had left an undisclosed amount of fentanyl. The buyer paid the older child for the substance and left, authorities said.

On Aug. 2, 2018, the buyer returned to the same Roslindale apartment to buy more fentanyl from Ramirez-Sandoval, who was not home. The same children let the buyer in after the buyer rang the buzzer. Ramirez-Sandoval and another individual arrived at the apartment about 20 minutes later and sold the buyer the fentanyl, according to acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell’s office.

Ramirez-Sandoval pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of fentanyl and two counts of employment or use of persons under 18 years of age in drug operations. A sentencing before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani is scheduled July 9. Fentanyl distribution carries a sentence of up to 20 years with at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The use of person under 18 in drug operations carries a sentence of up to 45 years with at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $300,000. Ramirez-Sandoval will be subject to deportation proceedings.

The U.S. attorney for Massachusetts collaborated with the DEA and State Police on the case.