Fitchburg Gang Member Sentenced for Crack Distribution

BOSTON—A Fitchburg man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Worcester for multiple counts of distributing crack cocaine.

Hector Rodriguez, a/k/a Bolo, 33, of Fitchburg, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 170 months in prison, to be followed by 96 months of supervised release. In January 2013, Rodriguez was found guilty following a five-day jury trial of three counts of crack distribution.

During the five-day trial, evidence proved that Rodriguez distributed over 70 grams of crack cocaine on October 26, 2011; November 2, 2011; and November 26, 2011, for just under $4,000.

Rodriguez was arrested in January 2011 as part of Operation Red Wolf, a multi-agency investigation targeting gang members involved in drug dealing and firearms distribution in the Fitchburg area. At the time of his arrest in January 2012 Rodriguez was found in possession of a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun and small amounts of both crack cocaine and marijuana.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; John J. Arvanitis, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Fitchburg Police Chief Robert A. DeMoura; Webster Police Chief Timothy J. Bent; Dan Kumor, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Colonel Timothy P. Alben, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cory Flashner and Mark Grady of Ortiz’s Worcester Branch Office Unit.