New Bedford Woman Sentenced for Stashing Drugs for Large-Scale Ring
BOSTON - A New Bedford woman is sentenced for stashing drugs in her home for a drug trafficking ring in Bristol County and in Providence.
U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz's office says 45-year-old Shirley Vargas was sentenced to 18 months in prison and one year of supervised release.
Prior to her sentencing, Vargas pleaded guilty to maintaining a place for drug purposes. She admitted that she stored large amounts of drugs on behalf of Luis Lopez, a drug dealer based out of Tiverton, Rhode Island.
As part of a large-scale investigation in June of 2016, authorities searched Vargas' home and found about one kilogram of a fentanyl and acetylfentanyl mix hidden under her bed, with drug packaging materials hidden in her pantry.
The drug dealer, Lopez, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in January.