A Rhode Island man has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for his role as a leader in a drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl and cocaine in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Antonio Aguasvivas, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott and will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Aguasvivas pleaded guilty in February 2025 to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including cocaine and fentanyl. He was originally charged with conspiracy on April 26, 2023, along with 20 other defendants. So far, ten individuals involved have been sentenced.
According to the plea agreement and court statements, Aguasvivas led a Massachusetts-based drug trafficking operation that used a dispatch system to sell narcotics. Customers would call a phone line to arrange purchases; Aguasvivas would then connect them with drug runners or deliver the drugs himself. Between October 6, 2022, and March 7, 2023, law enforcement observed and recorded ten sales of fentanyl and crack cocaine conducted by Aguasvivas or those working for him in Manchester. Authorities recovered 120 grams of fentanyl and 70 grams of crack cocaine from vehicles used by runners and from undercover operations.
Law enforcement reported that during this period, Aguasvivas traveled daily from Rhode Island to New Hampshire to supply his runners with narcotics.
U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan commented on the sentencing: “This sentence reflects the seriousness of trafficking drugs in our communities and underscores our commitment to holding those at every level of the supply chain accountable,” said Creegan. “Every role within these criminal networks is critical to their operation, and all involved will be held responsible for their contribution to the drug trade in the Granite State.”
Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division stated: “Antonio Aguasvivas led a major drug trafficking organization in our region that pumped large quantities of deadly narcotics into our communities, profiting off the addiction of others. Now Mr. Aguasvivas will spend the next four years behind bars where he can’t harm anyone else. The FBI and our partners will continue to investigate and disrupt sprawling drug trafficking operations like this one, as we work to make our neighborhoods safer.”
Special Agent Jarod Forget from the DEA’s New England Field Division addressed the ongoing opioid crisis: “New Hampshire is in the midst of a devastating opioid crisis, as deaths from fentanyl soar. The DEA will continue to use every resource available to identify those, like Mr. Aguasvivas, who are contributing to the crisis by distributing dangerous drugs like fentanyl and cocaine in our communities,” said Forget. “Yesterday’s sentence holds Mr. Aguasvivas accountable for his crimes, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to put other callous distributers like him behind bars.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) led this investigation with assistance from the Manchester Police Department.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America—a national initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration-related crime as well as eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations through coordinated efforts involving multiple Department of Justice programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
