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On Wednesday, Dec. 2, Anthony Baez, 32, of Fitchburg, was sentenced to 156 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman. Baez had pleaded guilty to a raft of drug dealing charges in July, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts.
The investigation that led to Baez’s sentence began in September 2018 following a fatal overdose in the Fitchburg area. Law enforcement learned that Baez had allegedly been working with his father, Pedro Baez, and a dozen or so other people to sell a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, cocaine, and crack, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Pedro Baez has pleaded not guilty to related drug-dealing charges.
During his time selling narcotics, Baez was responsible for the distribution of more than 1.67 kilos of a “deadly” mixture of fentanyl and heroin, at least 1.5 kilos of cocaine, and 10 grams of cocaine base, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Baez was previously indicted along with Pedro Baez, co-defendant Monica Torche, and 15 other people. Like Pedro Baez, Torche has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In July, Anthony Baez pleaded guilty to:
- Conspiracy to distribute and possess with the 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;
- Distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and heroin (two counts);
- Distribution of 100 grams or more of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl (two counts);
- And distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, and cocaine (two counts), the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Among the agencies who investigated, arrested, and prosecuted Baez are the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts Department of Correction, Massachusetts State Police, Fitchburg Police, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Lunenburg Police.
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