A Lynn, Massachusetts man has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison for drug-related offenses tied to a fentanyl distribution investigation. Ricardo Bratini-Perez, also known as "Rico" or "Ricofromthesin," was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin. Following his prison term, he will serve five years of supervised release.
Bratini-Perez pleaded guilty in November 2024 to multiple counts involving the distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, its analogs, and methamphetamine. He was also charged with possessing over 400 grams of a substance containing fentanyl. The charges stem from an indictment issued by a federal grand jury on October 3, 2024.
Court documents reveal that Bratini-Perez is affiliated with the Trinitarios gang and was on probation after being released from state custody in 2023 for armed robbery and firearm charges. While on probation, he sold drugs to an undercover officer three times between March and April 2024. His arrest followed a fourth transaction on April 8, 2024, leading to the discovery of over 5,000 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl at his residence.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy. The Essex County District Attorney's Office provided significant assistance in the case prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit.