Malden Man Sentenced for Distributing Fentanyl and Using and Trafficking Stolen Identities and Credit Cards

Press Release

Defendant stole the identities of 171 victims, including those of his drug customers

BOSTON - A Malden man was sentenced last week in federal court in Boston to distributing fentanyl and using stolen identities to conduct transactions and obtain credit cards.

Derick Coulanges, a/k/a/ "Casa," 38, as sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 42 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. In January 2024, Coulanges pleaded guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; possession of five or more identification documents with intent to use them unlawfully; and use of and trafficking in unauthorized access devices with intent to defraud to obtain property valued over $1,000.

In January and February 2023, Coulanges was recorded selling a cooperating witness 50 grams of fentanyl in Coulanges' Mercedes Benz. In the recordings, Coulanges also offered to procure counterfeit driver's licenses for the cooperating witness that contained stolen personal identifying information (PII). Coulanges would go on to explain the manner in which a counterfeit driver's license bearing stolen PII could be utilized to open bank accounts and obtain credit cards to purchase items.

In March 2023, during a search of Coulanges' Malden apartment, which he had obtained using a drug customer's stolen identity, approximately 28 grams of methamphetamine was located. During a search of Coulanges' Mercedes Benz, six driver's licenses bearing stolen PII and one counterfeit license that bore Coulanges' photograph with stolen PII of an individual from Ohio were recovered. A subsequent investigation revealed that the individuals associated with the driver's licenses had been the victims of identity theft and had bank accounts and credit cards opened in their name. The counterfeit driver's license bearing Coulanges' photograph had been used to open bank accounts, apply for loans and obtain credit cards. Surveillance footage was located depicting Coulanges opening the accounts and then utilizing the fraudulently obtained credit cards to conduct transactions at various retailers, including at two jewelry stores where he purchased approximately $12,000 in jewelry.

Coulanges' stole the identities of 17 victims, including a handful of his drug customers. The other stolen identities were from victims from across the United States. The Mercedes Benz that Coulanges owned was obtained through a fraudulent loan that he coerced one of his drug customers to obtain. Coulanges also procured a luxury apartment through a fraudulent loan application using the stolen identity and license of another drug customer.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

Updated April 16, 2024