Sutton Man Convicted of Cocaine Conspiracy

 BOSTON – A Sutton man was convicted by a federal jury in Worcester today of conspiring to distribute cocaine.

Bruce Marando, 47, was convicted following a four-day trial of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Dec. 10, 2021.

Evidence at trial established that from March to May 2017, Marando conspired with Vito Nuzzolilo and others to distribute cocaine, including crack cocaine. A wiretap revealed numerous communications in which Marando and Nuzzolilo discussed purchasing and selling cocaine, cooking crack cocaine and distributing cocaine to satisfy a $9,000 debt that Marando owed Nuzzolilo. As a result of the investigation, law enforcement seized drugs from various locations, including 250 grams of cocaine from Nuzzolilo’s band room.

In April 2020, Nuzzolilo was sentenced to 134 months in prison and eight years of supervised release.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Division; and Webster Police Chief Michael D. Shaw made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun of Mendell’s Worcester Branch Office and Elysa Wan of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.