Man, woman plead guilty in drug case

Cops cite conspiracy to deal fentanyl, heroin and cocaine

WORCESTER » A Fitchburg man and woman pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to their roles in a wide-ranging fentanyl, heroin and cocaine trafficking conspiracy, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Ricky Figueroa, 31, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 1 kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 280 grams or more of cocaine base and 500 grams or more of cocaine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Monica Troche, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1 kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 280 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Troche also pleaded guilty to five counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, according to the U.S. atttorney.

Troche and Figueroa were charged in an eight-count superseding indictment along with 16 others in July 2020.

According to court documents, following a fatal fentanyl overdose in September 2018, law enforcement began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization in the Fitchburg area led by co-conspirators Pedro Baez and Anthony Baez. Intercepted phone communications by the drug trafficking organization and its suppliers revealed that Troche worked with Anthony Baez to distribute a fentanyl and heroin mixture and cocaine, court documents say. Communications also revealed that Figueroa supplied Pedro and An

thony Baez, as well as others in the Fitchburg area, with cocaine and crack cocaine on a regular basis, according to court documents.

Over the course of the investigation, agents seized over 1.8 kilograms of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, over 3.6 kilograms of cocaine and over 50 grams of crack cocaine, as well as a stolen, loaded handgun, drug manufacturing equipment and over $376,000, document show. Figueroa was responsible for distributing 280 grams or more of crack cocaine and 500 grams or more of cocaine and Troche was responsible for distributing 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin and 500 grams or more of cocaine, according to court documents

Figueroa and Troche are the seventh and eighth defendants to plead guilty in this case. In December 2020, Anthony Baez was sentenced by Judge Hillman to 13 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Pedro Baez pleaded guilty on Feb. 2, 2021, and is scheduled to be sentenced next May 17.

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Figueroa for March 17.

Judge Hillman scheduled sentencing for Troche for March 15.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 280 grams or more of cocaine base and 500 grams or more of cocaine provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, at least five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million.

The other drug trafficking charges provide for a sentencing range of five years to a lifetime in prison, at least four years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of between $5 million to $10 million.

Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Col. Christopher Mason, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement.

The Fitchburg and Lunenburg Police Departments, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and State Police provided valuable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.