Two Rhode Islanders have been federally indicted in a nationwide drug conspiracy. Denise Guyette of Woonsocket and Nathan Boddie of Pawtucket allegedly used the U.S. mail system to send drugs from Arizona to Massachusetts. The Justice Department says they would often hide packages inside children's items like toy trucks, Halloween decorations and Disney items.
“Fentanyl and methamphetamine are serious, lethal threats to the well-being of our communities,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify drug traffickers and stop the flow of illegal drugs into Massachusetts where they cause pain and destruction. Drug trafficking frequently intersects with illegal firearms and other criminal conduct. This instance proved no different. Ghost guns were seized as well as a 3-D printer we allege was used to print ghost gun parts. It is our contention that this seizure likely saved countless lives.”
“Operation Raising Arizona has dealt a significant blow to a drug trafficking organization that we believe is responsible for operating nationwide, flooding communities in Massachusetts and Rhode Island with highly addictive and deadly narcotics. All three individuals we’ve removed from the street are accused of being prolific drug dealers who thrived on selling drugs and believed they could pull the wool over the eyes of investigators by hiding their product inside toys and other common household items,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The violence associated with the illegal drug trade, as illustrated by our seizure of multiple ghost guns, is a threat to our communities, and the FBI and our partners are committed to working together across jurisdictions to take down criminals who insist on bringing their harmful business to our neighborhoods.”
Between May and October of 2022, investigators seized about two pounds of meth and thousands of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
(Photo provided by Department of Justice)