North Dartmouth Woman Sentenced to Six Years in Prison

A North Dartmouth woman was sentenced Friday to six years in federal prison in connection with her role in obtaining cocaine from Puerto Rico through the mail.

Forty-five-year-old Cristina Lopez was also sentenced to three years of supervised probation upon her release from prison.

Lopez pleaded guilty in October 2019 to charges of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

Between March 2017 and August 2018, Postal inspectors identified more than 40 suspicious parcels sent through the mail from Puerto Rico to various addresses in Massachusetts.

It was determined that Lopez and 31-year-old John Tavares of Weymouth received the majority of the packages.

Court officials also say the couple made numerous trips to Puerto Rico lasting no more than three days, and that the suspicious parcels would arrive in Massachusetts a few days after their return.

Tavares pleaded guilty in federal court earlier this year and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 22.