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Worcester County resident Amanda Ford, age 35, of Fitchburg, pleaded guilty on Friday, Dec. 3, to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, the Attorney's Office said.
Ford was charged with 17 other defendants in July of 2020, and she is the 10th defendant to plead guilty in the case, according to the announcement.
Authorities started investigating a drug trafficking organization in the Fitchburg area following a fatal fentanyl overdose in September of 2018.
The organization was led by Pedro Baez and Anthony Baez, the US Attorney's Office reported.
In July 2019, authorities intercepted electronic communications between Pedro, Anthony and other members of the organization, which showed that Ford worked with Pedro and Anthony "to distribute a fentanyl and heroin mixture and crack cocaine on a regular basis to individuals in the Fitchburg area who then redistributed that mixture to others," the announcement reads.
Agents reportedly seized the following during the investigation:
- More than 1.8 kilograms of a heroin and fentanyl mixture
- More than 3.6 kilograms of cocaine
- More than 50 grams of crack cocaine
- A stolen, loaded handgun
- Drug manufacturing equipment
- More than $376,000
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