A citizen of the Dominican Republic and former Boston resident, Niulmi Baez, pleaded guilty on Apr. 6 to conspiracy to distribute almost 700 grams of fentanyl, according to U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan. U.S. District Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for August 3.
This case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to address the distribution of fentanyl and related drug offenses in the United States.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement began investigating Baez in late 2021 after learning he was selling drugs. Between November 2021 and June 2022, an undercover officer conducted a series of controlled purchases from Baez. Sometimes Baez delivered the drugs himself; other times he used a drug runner, including his co-defendant Hamet Badia. In one instance in June 2022, an undercover officer arranged to buy 400 grams of fentanyl and oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl from Baez, who coordinated delivery through Badia using an Uber rideshare.
Baez left the United States but was arrested upon his return at Logan Airport on October 2, 2025. He has been detained since then pending sentencing.
The charging statute provides for a minimum sentence of ten years up to life imprisonment as well as supervised release terms and fines determined by federal guidelines and statutes governing criminal cases.
Badia previously received an eighteen-month prison sentence for his role in the offense. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and Hampton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime.
