Illegal alien who ran drug trafficking operation sentenced to over 11 years in prison (DOJ)

BOSTON - A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Roxbury, Mass., was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for trafficking and conspiring to traffic large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine.

Bryan Moises Frias Sanchez, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to 136 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In January 2026, Frias Sanchez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, aiding and abetting; distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and cocaine, aiding and abetting; and distribution and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, aiding and abetting. He was indicted in April 2025, along with Jean Carlos Frias Polanco and Rafael Vargas Cabrera.

Frias Sanchez was the leader of a drug trafficking conspiracy operating out of Roxbury, Mass. Between July 2024 and January 2025, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine from Frias Sanchez and his drug trafficking organization. For each of the controlled purchases, Frias Sanchez arranged the transaction, but for some of the deals he sent one of his associates to deliver the drugs, including co-defendants Frias Polanco and allegedly Vargas Cabrera. During a number of those transactions, Frias Sanchez offered to sell firearms in addition to the controlled substances. In total, Frias Sanchez is responsible for distributing approximately 2.6 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, 70 grams of fentanyl and over 800 grams of cocaine.

Frias Polanco pleaded guilty and was sentenced on May 8, 2026 to 19 months in prison. Co-defendant Vargas Cabrera is scheduled to plead guilty on Sept. 28, 2026.

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.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Homeland Security and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea E. Porter and Brad Rocheville of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

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

Updated September 15, 2026