A Massachusetts man, Jose Toledo, has been sentenced to 72 months in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute in New Hampshire. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro. In addition to the prison term, Toledo will also serve three years of supervised release. In January 2025, Toledo pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack stated, “Those who choose to traffic drugs and arm themselves while doing so, like the defendant, are putting our communities in danger.” He emphasized that the sentence reflects both the severity of drug trafficking crimes involving dangerous weapons and the ongoing threat such activities pose to communities.
Stephen Belleau, Acting DEA Special Agent in Charge of the New England Field Division, remarked on the commitment of the DEA to investigate and dismantle drug trafficking organizations. He said, “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Toledo accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic with deadly drugs.”
The case dates back to December 2023 when a confidential witness ordered methamphetamine and fentanyl from Toledo on behalf of law enforcement. As Toledo traveled from Massachusetts into New Hampshire intending to deliver nearly a pound of methamphetamine and almost 300 grams of fentanyl, he was intercepted by law enforcement officers who seized the drugs hidden in a compartment within his vehicle along with a loaded firearm.
The investigation was led by the DEA Manchester District Office with assistance from several agencies including the DEA Boston Strike Force from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), New Hampshire State Police Mobile Enforcement Team, Strafford County Sheriff’s Office, and Newington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather A. Cherniske prosecuted this case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aiming at eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators through efforts streamlined by OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).