Brockton Men Admit to Selling Massive Amounts of Drugs in SE Mass

BOSTON — Two Brockton men pleaded guilty Tuesday to their roles in a large-scale, violent drug trafficking organization that sold hundreds of grams of fentanyl and other hard drugs across southeastern Massachusetts.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, 28-year-old Cody Goncalves and 34-year-old Jermaine Gonsalves admitted to possession and conspiracy to distribute 100 or more grams of heroin, 400 or more grams of fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, oxycodone and marijuana.

Goncalves also pleaded guilty to firearms offenses.

Law enforcement began investigating the pair and 15 others in autumn 2018 as part of a "violent Brockton drug crew" headed by Goncalves' brother Djuna, according to court documents.

The investigation revealed that the brothers and others sold large quantities of fentanyl and other drugs in southeastern Massachusetts from their Brockton base.

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A large drugs bust later that year resulted in 17 people being arrested and charged with drug trafficking conspiracy.

Several Boston-based drug suppliers to the organization were targeted in the operation as well.

Agents seized large quantities of heroin, fentanyl, cash and a loaded firearm from Cody Goncalves.

He had previously been convicted of illegally owning a firearm and had distributed drugs while on pre-trial release from a state drug charge.

According to the office, authorities also seized a loaded firearm and drugs from Jermaine Gonsalves' home.

Gonsalves had previously been convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.

In December 2018, Cody Goncalves and Jermaine Gonsalves were indicted along with 15 others as part of the drug trafficking conspiracy.

Of the 17 defendants charged, nine have been sentenced.

Cody Goncalves and Jermaine Gonsalves are the twelfth and thirteenth defendants to plead guilty in the case, respectively.

They both face sentences of five to 40 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and up to $10 million in fines.

Goncalves is also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of ammunition.

On these charges he faces a mandatory five-year sentence, up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

Sentencing for both is set for early February.