Two men from Rhode Island have been charged by federal prosecutors with conspiracy in connection to a counterfeit prescription pills ring. Prosecutors say Jasdrual Perez, a 33 year old man from Cranston and Erik Ventura, 33 from Providence were charged with distributing the pills that contained fentynal.
According to the charging documents, in September 2019, agents began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) headed by Perez. The investigation revealed that Perez, Ventura and others allegedly conspired to distribute large quantities of controlled substances, including fentanyl pills, to customers in numerous locations across Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. The investigation further revealed that the DTO manufactured fentanyl pills for distribution. In July 2021, law enforcement seized close to 1,100 counterfeit oxycodone pills suspected to contain fentanyl in Dedham, allegedly attributable to the Perez DTO.
A hearing is scheduled for Friday for both defendants. If convicted they could get 10 years in prison up to life.
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