New Bedford Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Charge

BOSTON - A New Bedford man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine.

Alexander Gomes, 27, pleaded guilty today to one count of aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for March 14, 2018.

On Dec. 12, 2016, Gomes accompanied co-defendant Peter Lobo to a meeting with an undercover agent posing as a Maine methamphetamine dealer. At that meeting, Lobo distributed a half pound sample of methamphetamine to the agent. Lobo introduced Gomes to the undercover agent so that Gomes could conduct drug business when Lobo was out of town. Two days later, Gomes and Lobo meet the agent again, and the agent paid Lobo $4,000 for the half pound, and Lobo gave an additional four pounds of methamphetamine to the agent. Lobo and Gomes were arrested shortly after they began to drive away. At the time of their arrest, Lobo had $3,000 in his pocket and Gomes had $1,000 hidden in his sock. Subsequent drug analysis determined that the substance consisted of approximately 1,777 grams of 99% pure d-methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as “Ice.”

Lobo pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine, and on Nov. 29, 2017, he was sentenced to five years in prison.

Gomes faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of 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 William D. Weinreb and Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore B. Heinrich of Weinreb's Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.\

-- U.S. Attorney's Office --