Bay State man will spend at least 15 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl

LACONIA - A Massachusetts man has been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for possession and trafficking fentanyl.

Jose Mitchell Marquez, 36, of Methuen, Mass., was sentenced for violations of the New Hampshire Controlled Drug Act, including transporting, or possessing more than five grams of fentanyl with the intent to sell, despite having a previous felony drug trafficking conviction.

Marquez was also convicted of on four counts of knowingly selling more than five grams of fentanyl, despite having a previous felony drug trafficking conviction.

The sentence comes after an investigation initiated by the New Hampshire Attorney General's Drug Task Force in March of 2023, which culminated in his arrest on May 25. As a result, 812.17 grams of fentanyl was seized. The investigation also revealed that . Marquez was responsible for distributing numerous kilograms of fentanyl throughout New Hampshire over a two-year period.

"I want to thank the members of the New Hampshire Attorney General's Drug Task Force, the Belknap County Attorney's Office, and our law enforcement partners in this case for their tireless efforts investigating and prosecuting Mr. Marquez. Fentanyl is devastating too many families. This case is just one example of how law enforcement agencies in our state work together to target and remove this deadly drug from our communities," said Attorney General John Formella. "Our Drug Task Force remains committed to dismantling drug trafficking networks by targeting dealers and preventing the flow of deadly drugs throughout the Granite State."

According to experts, two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal depending on a person's body size, tolerance and past usage. From the amount seized from Marquez, 812.17 milligrams of potentially lethal fentanyl were taken out of circulation in the state of New Hampshire.