Two Plead Guilty to Conspiracy Involving Manufacturing of Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl

BOSTON - Two Massachusetts men pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to their roles in a conspiracy involving the distribution and manufacturing of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and other controlled substances.

Elmidio Crisostomo, 30, of Lynnfield and David Depena, 32, of Lynn, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencings for Dec. 10, 2025. In November 2023, both men were indicted by federal grand jury.

Crisostomo and Depena used an apartment in Lynn to manufacture counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and other controlled substances. The defendants then distributed thousands of these pills to customers in towns including Malden and Revere. During a search of the Lynn apartment in June 2023, a large hand-crank-style press used for manufacturing pills as well as multiple kilograms of pills and powder containing fentanyl and other controlled substances were recovered.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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 Lynn Police Department and the Revere Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.