New Bedford Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking

FALL RIVER — A 27-year-old New Bedford man convicted of trafficking in fentanyl was sentenced Friday to serve up to four years in state prison, District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Vincent Perez pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court to a single-count indictment charging him with trafficking in excess of 10 grams of fentanyl.

The defendant, after an extensive investigation by New Bedford Police, became the target of a search warrant at his residence on December 20, 2016. After detectives entered his home, the defendant made admissions to possession of drugs and turned over the fentanyl, packaged for street-level sales. The defendant also forfeited $2,000, earned illegally through the sale of fentanyl.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kristen Wiley, and the two-and-a-half to four year state prison term was handed down by Judge Thomas McGuire.

“This defendant was selling fentanyl, which has been a significant factor in the increase in overdoses the past few years,” District Attorney Quinn said. “Drug dealers must be held accountable for fueling and contributing to the increased opiate crisis in our communities.”

--Bristol County District Attorney's Office