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Date: 06-10-2019
Case Style:
United States of America v. Samuel Morris
Case Number: 1:18-cr-00048-SM
Judge:
Court: United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire (Merrimack County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: Georgiana L. Konesky, Seth R. Aframe and Debra M. Walsh
Defendant's Attorney: Victoria Kelleher
Description:
Concord, NH - Belmont Man Pleads Guilty To Participating In Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy
Samuel Morris, 29, of Belmont, pleaded guilty in federal court to participating in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, during an ongoing drug trafficking investigation that included court-authorized wiretaps, agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration learned that Morris regularly obtained fentanyl from a source in Lawrence, Massachusetts and then sold the fentanyl in New Hampshire.
On March 9, 2018, investigators learned that Morris intended to travel from New Hampshire to Lawrence to obtain drugs. Agents conducted surveillance of Morris and observed him driving away from a known drug runner. After Morris picked up the drugs, he telephoned his source and questioned the packaging of the drugs. The source told him the drugs were wrapped in “green paper.”
Shortly thereafter, a New Hampshire State Trooper stopped the vehicle for traffic violations and later located approximately 148 grams of fentanyl packaged in green paper in the vehicle. Over the course of the wiretap investigations, investigators allege that Morris purchased approximately 1320 grams of fentanyl.
Morris is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10, 2019.
“The harmful results of interstate fentanyl trafficking are seen each day throughout New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Those who choose to bring fentanyl into the Granite State should understand that there will be substantial consequences for their unlawful actions. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify, arrest, and prosecute fentanyl traffickers who do business in our state.”
The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.
This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
Charge:
21 USC §§ 846, 841(a), and (b)(1)(A)(vi) - Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
(1)
Outcome: 06/07/2019 39 ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND WAIVER OF RIGHTS re: Guilty Plea by Samuel Morris. (lml) (Entered: 06/07/2019)
06/07/2019 Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Steven J. McAuliffe: CHANGE OF PLEA HEARING held on 6/7/2019 as to Samuel Morris (1): Defendant sworn and advised of rights/charges. No objection to offer of proof. Defendant enters guilty plea to Count 1 of the Indictment. Court accepts guilty plea. Defendant continues to be released pending sentencing on the same terms and conditions as previously imposed. (Court Reporter: Liza Dubois) (Govt Atty: Debra Walsh) (Defts Atty: Victoria Kelleher)(Total Hearing Time: 17 minutes)(CJA Time: 21 minutes) (lml) (Entered: 06/07/2019)
06/07/2019 NOTICE OF HEARING as to Samuel Morris. Sentencing set for 9/10/2019 10:00 AM before Judge Steven J. McAuliffe.The court has allotted 1 hour for the hearing. Please contact the court immediately if you anticipate the hearing will exceed the allotted time. Any motion seeking a departure or variance, as well as any sentencing memorandum, shall be filed 10 days prior to the sentencing date. Any response shall be filed 4 days prior to sentencing date.(lml) (Entered: 06/07/2019)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
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