CONCORD – U.S. Attorney Scott Murray said Santos Guerrero Morillo, 39, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for his leadership role in a heroin trafficking conspiracy.

Documents filed with the court established that between May 2013 and October 2016, Guerrero Morillo was the leader of the New England cell of an

international drug trafficking organization responsible for the distribution of heroin and other drugs in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. Guerrero Morillo’s cell operated out of Lawrence, Massachusetts, where its members received multi-kilogram shipments of heroin and other drugs, broke the shipments down into smaller units, and distributed them to regional sub-distributors.

Guerrero Morillo previously pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with heroin trafficking conspiracy earlier this year.

“International narcotics traffickers seek to profit from the suffering of those who are addicted to heroin and other dangerous drugs,” Murray said. “This case demonstrates the resolve of the law enforcement community in New Hampshire to hold drug traffickers accountable for the damage that they are causing in our state. We will not hesitate to reach into foreign countries, extradite drug traffickers, and bring them back to face justice.”

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brian Boyle: “The DEA will continue to use every resource available to identify those, like Mr. Morillo, who are contributing to the crisis. Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Morillo accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic.”