Rhode Island Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Distribution of Fentanyl and Fentanyl Analogues

 BOSTON – A Rhode Island man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with his fentanyl and fentanyl analogue distribution activities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. 

Moises Rodrigues, 32, of Johnston, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 60 months in prison and four years of supervised release. In October 2020, Rodrigues pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 10 grams or more of acetyl fentanyl and carfentanil and three counts of distribution of fentanyl and/or acetyl fentanyl. 

Rodrigues sold fentanyl and fentanyl analogues on five separate occasions and had a “runner”—co-defendant Robert Soucy—deliver the drugs for him on one occasion. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, carfentanil is a synthetic opioid that is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, which itself is 50 times more potent than heroin. 

In May 2020, Soucy was sentenced by Judge Burroughs to 16 months in prison.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Graber of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.