TAUNTON — A Taunton man has been sentenced to five years in prison for selling fentanyl out of his city barber shop.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said 47-year-old Carlos Rivera was sentenced in federal court on Monday after pleading guilty to the drug trafficking charges in January.

Rivera had admitted to one count of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute 40 or more grams of fentanyl and three counts of possessing and distributing fentanyl.

He and a co-conspirator sold fentanyl to a witness cooperating with law enforcement four separate times between September 2020 and January 2021, according to the office.

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Rivera used his Taunton home and his barbershop, Knockout Barbershop at 65 West Water St., to sell drugs and store the proceeds from drug deals.

Agents arrested Rivera outside his apartment on Jan. 29, 2021.

He was carrying around 40 grams of fentanyl at the time.

All told, Rivera and his co-conspirator sold or intended to sell around 152 grams of fentanyl, the office stated.

The co-conspirator was not identified.

Judge Douglas Woodlock also sentenced him to four years of supervised release following his five-year prison term.

 

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