Dominican man pleads guilty to trafficking fentanyl

CONCORD - A Dominican man pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.

Starlin Alexander Valdez De Los Santos, 35, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord to one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for April 16. According to the charging documents, pleadings and statements made in court, during the course of the conspiracy, the defendant operated a significant drug distribution network, which involved coordination of suppliers and local distributors over an extended period and utilized sophisticated communication methods to avoid detection, all while residing outside the United States.

The years-long investigation into the defendant's activities resulted in the total seizure of more than 750 grams of fentanyl during eight undercover purchase operations in 2022, 2023, and 2024. The charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl carries a sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years' incarceration, not less than 4 years of supervised release, and a fine up to $5,000,000.