Two Plead Guilty to Counterfeit Pill Trafficking Conspiracy

BOSTON - Two men have pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to their roles in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Nelson Mora, 31, of Lynn, and Christopher Nagle, 30, of Revere, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Christopher Nagle also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencings for Aug. 5, 2024 and Aug. 13, 2024, respectively.

According to court documents, Christopher Nagle and allegedly his brother Lawrence Michael Nagle were identified as leaders of a DTO distributing various controlled substances throughout the North Shore region of Massachusetts. It is alleged that the Nagle DTO distributed significant quantities of various controlled substances, including, Adderall (both pharmaceutical-grade pills and counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine), methamphetamine, Xanax, Oxycodone (both pharmaceutical-grade and counterfeit pills containing fentanyl), cocaine and marijuana, among others.

Christopher Nagle's brother, Lawrence Michael Nagle, allegedly distributed controlled substances to a small network of individuals who would then redistribute the drugs to other traffickers, including Mora, who also had access to a pill press machine which he used to create counterfeit pills.

A search of Christopher Nagle's apartment recovered more than 74,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing more than 24 kilograms.

Mora and Nagle are the 10th and 11th defendants to plead guilty in this case.

The charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 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.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney's Office and the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James E. Arnold and Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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