CONCORD, N.H. — Jonathan Betancourt of Lawrence pleaded guilty for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl throughout the state of New Hampshire on Friday and was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison.
Betancourt was sentenced by the Hillsborough County Superior Court, Southern District, to 10 to 20 years in the New Hampshire State Prison. The new developments were announced by Attorney General John Formella, Pelham Police Chief Joseph Roark, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent-in-Charge Brian Boyle in a press release.
Evidence established Betancourt was the brother of an individual who was running a fentanyl trafficking organization out of Haverhill, according to a press release. The organization would distribute large quantities of fentanyl to dealers throughout New Hampshire, who would in turn sell that fentanyl to New Hampshire citizens, authorities said.
According to a press release, evidence developed during the investigation showed that Betancourt played a variety of roles in this fentanyl trafficking organization: he transported fentanyl to his brother to resupply the organization, he moved fentanyl and cash between his brother and the New Hampshire-based dealers, he prepared fentanyl for distribution by “cutting” it with non-drug additives to increase the organization’s profit margin, and he packaged fentanyl for distribution as well.
In addition, during the investigation Betancourt made four sales of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Pelham, N.H., totaling about 133 grams of fentanyl, authorities said.
Betancourt was arrested at his apartment in Lawrence, on June 27, 2019, by members of the Massachusetts State Police. At the time he was in possession of about 12.96 grams of fentanyl, supplies to cut and package fentanyl for distribution, and a .32-caliber Beretta Tomcat handgun with two full magazines, according to a press release.
The investigation and resolution of this case is credited as the result of the collaborative efforts of the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, the Pelham Police Department, the DEA, the Massachusetts State Police, and the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, according to a press release.
