New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
A 33-year-old New Bedford man, who was arrested twice for trafficking fentanyl in the span of 14 months, was sentenced to serve five to six years in state prison last Thursday, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.
Angel Perez pled guilty to two separate dockets, which when combined, charged him with two counts of Trafficking Fentanyl and one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
In August 2020, New Bedford Police executed a search warrant on the defendant, who was found inside his vehicle. When officers approached the car, the defendant refused to open the door, forcing officers to breach the window. After finding him in possession of Fentanyl, detectives also searched his residence, where the located more Fentanyl and more than $3,000 in cash.
The defendant was arrested, but released on bail.
Then, in October 2021, officers received information that the defendant was once again trafficking Fentanyl. Officers set up surveillance and observed a drug transaction. They immediately stopped the defendant and found a large bag of Fentanyl in the ankle area of his pants.
In addition to these two arrests, the defendant has three prior convictions for distribution of narcotics.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kaitlyn O’Leary and the state prison sentence was imposed by Judge Sharon Donatelle.
“Despite being released on bail, the defendant continued to trafficking Fentanyl and profiting off the addiction of people n our community. The defendant has prior convictions and needs to be kept off the street to protect the public,” District Attorney Quinn said.
