A Braintree resident, Jonathan Melendez Decatro, also known as "Jacha," has admitted guilt in a federal court in Boston for charges related to fentanyl conspiracy. The 32-year-old pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess fentanyl with the intent to distribute. Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV of the U.S. District Court has set sentencing for May 12, 2025. As part of a plea agreement, Melendez Decatro is expected to receive a sentence of ten years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He was initially indicted in June 2023.
Melendez Decatro was identified as the head of a significant drug trafficking organization operating in the Brockton area since an investigation began in 2019. This organization was involved in trafficking fentanyl and cocaine, sourcing drugs from Colombia, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. In 2021, law enforcement intercepted packages intended for him that contained one kilogram of cocaine each. Further investigations revealed that he conspired with an individual based in the Dominican Republic to distribute 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl in Braintree during spring 2023. The seized fentanyl had a purity exceeding 50% and contained xylazine. A search of his residence led to the recovery of over $10,000 believed to be drug proceeds and clothing linked to fentanyl transactions.
The charge carries a potential sentence ranging from ten years up to life imprisonment, along with at least five years or up to a lifetime of supervised release and fines reaching $10 million. Sentencing decisions are made by federal district court judges based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The announcement came from United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA's New England Field Division. Support was provided by several agencies including the DEA in Bogota, U.S Postal Inspection Service, Massachusetts State Police, and Brockton Police Department.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative aimed at dismantling major drug traffickers through multi-agency collaboration focused on intelligence-driven operations.