Four Men Charged With Distributing Lethal Doses Of Heroin

Boston - A federal grand jury indicted four men yesterday on one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and three counts of distribution of heroin.

Fernando Lnu, a/k/a Cesar Gonzalez, 43, of the Dominican Republic, Osvaldo Ortiz-Ventara, 23, of Dorchester, and Kevin Sanderson, 28, of Quincy, were indicted today. A fourth indicted defendant, Weslley Hernandez, 25, of Dorchester, remains a fugitive.

According to affidavits previously filed with the court, the investigation into Gonzalez started in January 2014 after Steven Radeos, a former Braintree Police Department informant, died from an apparent heroin overdose. A laboratory test of an empty heroin bag found next to Radeos’ body was positive for Fentanyl and Dipryone, an animal painkiller. Radeos’ family cooperated in the investigation into his death and provided Braintree detectives with Radeos’ cell phone. Officers discovered that Radeos’ phone contained a number of text message exchanges with Sanderson, a number of which indicated that Sanderson was purchasing heroin for Radeos from Sanderson’s drug supplier. It is further alleged that the text messages described the heroin as “fire” and Radeos was cautioned to be careful when using it. Federal agents approached Sanderson, who allegedly admitted to purchasing heroin from Gonzalez and selling it to Radeos. Sanderson agreed to cooperate in the investigation.

According to court documents, between February and May 2014, cooperating witnesses were used to make recorded calls and controlled heroin purchases from Gonzalez’s organization. It was also learned that Gonzalez used an apartment located at 1455 River Street, Hyde Park, to store heroin and that Gonzalez employed Hernandez and Ortiz-Ventara to pick up heroin from the River Street apartment on a near daily basis and then distribute the heroin around the Boston area.

On June 10, 2014, Gonzalez and Ortiz-Ventara were arrested on federal warrants and 1455 River Street was searched. At the time of the search, agents found Steven Juarbettores, Josue Torres Gonzalez, Lorenzo Antonio Nunez and Raul Romero, all of whom are believed to be from the Dominican Republic, in the apartment along with heroin, cocaine, drug packaging materials and a loaded semi-automatic handgun. Juarbettores, Josue Torres Gonzalez, Nunez, and Romero were charged in a separate federal complaint with possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Special Agent in Charge Vincent B. Lisi of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Field Division; Norfolk County District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey; and Chief Russell Jenkins of the Braintree Police Department made the announcement.

The case was investigated by members of the Boston FBI OCDETF Strike Force unit which includes the FBI; Braintree, Boston, Woburn and Watertown Police Departments; Department of Corrections, Customs and Border Protection; and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Foley of Ortiz’s Drug Trafficking Unit and Director of the OCDETF Strike Force.

The details contained in the indictment and affidavits are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.