Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Leads to Illegal Alien Being Indicted for Running a Continuing Criminal Enterprise, Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering

BOSTON - A Dominican national residing in Saugus was indicted and extradited back to the United States from the Dominican Republic to face multiple federal charges stemming from a Homeland Security Task Force investigation for continuing criminal enterprise, drug trafficking and money laundering.

Frank Maiky Baez Guerrero, 29, was charged with continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder money, and multiple counts of distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine.

According to court documents, Baez Guerrero led a large-scale drug trafficking organization which operated out of Massachusetts, Maine and the Dominican Republic. On Nov. 26, 2024, 10 members of Baez Guerrero's drug trafficking organization (DTO) were indicted for drug trafficking conspiracy and firearms offenses. Allegedly at Baez Guerrero's direction, these defendants regularly transported fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine from Massachusetts to Maine, rented residences to store and sell the drugs to local Maine customers, and then returned with the drug proceeds to Massachusetts. The indictment alleges that Baez Guerrero was operating this DTO while in the United States and in the Dominican Republic.

The charge of continuing criminal enterprise provides for a sentence of no less than 20 years and up to life in prison, a term of supervised release of up to life and a fine of up to $2 million. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of no less than 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Multiple charges of distribution and possession with intent to distribute various controlled substances, including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount of laundered proceeds. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Maine State Police, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the York, Maine Police Department, the Waldo County, Maine Sherriff's Office, the New Hampshire State Police, the Massachusetts State Police, the Boston Police Department and the Malden, Massachusetts Police Department. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs worked with Dominican authorities in securing Baez Guerrero's arrest and extradition. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of the office's Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.