BOSTON — A Lowell man who laundered $688,650 in narcotics proceeds over a two‑year span will serve nearly four years in prison, a sentence handed down on Wednesday in federal court for his role in a cocaine‑funded money laundering conspiracy.
Hector Nunez, 40, told an undercover investigator that he and his associates were dealing in “perico” — slang for cocaine — and selling a kilogram (2.2 pounds) for $23,000, a level of detail prosecutors said showed his grasp of the conspiracy’s scope and how he was trusted to move the organization’s cash.
“The Defendant knew that the proceeds were from the sale of cocaine, and he knew the drug trafficking organization’s price for a kilogram of cocaine,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Rocheville wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “This conduct demonstrates the Defendant’s knowledge of the scope of the conspiracy, from his knowledge of the distribution of the drugs, to the subsequent laundering of the drug proceeds. He was also trusted by other drug traffickers with the money the — ultimate goal of the conspiracy.”
The memorandum, which asked Judge Allison Burroughs to hand Nunez a prison sentence of four years and nine months, also detailed Nunez’s background, noting he is a father of five with no prior criminal history.
Rocheville described Nunez as having “always lived a beautiful childhood” and that he denied any history of abuse. He also described Nunez as “an educated man,” having earned the equivalent of a high school diploma in the Dominican Republic.
Nunez told investigators that in the years leading up to his arrest his cocaine use was “chronic” and that he spent $300 to $400 per week on cocaine. He additionally told investigators that he drank heavily, according to the sentencing memorandum.
In requesting the sentence, Rocheville stressed the broader impact of cocaine trafficking in Massachusetts and the Northeast, citing overdose rates, the growing danger posed by fentanyl‑laced cocaine, and the steep cost of treatment.
The prosecutor noted that residential drug rehabilitation in Massachusetts can average $56,725 per individual, while outpatient treatment costs $1,703, placing a heavy financial burden on families and the public.
Rocheville also argued that laundering drug proceeds fuels the cycle of addiction and trafficking, noting that Nunez himself struggled with cocaine use and “should understand the impact that addiction can have.”
Nunez’s attorney, Eric Taitano, urged the court to impose a lighter sentence, arguing that Nunez was deeply remorseful and motivated to rebuild his life.
“Mr. Nunez has always been a hard worker that supports his family both financially and emotionally,” Taitano said in his sentencing memorandum. “Unfortunately for Mr. Nunez he started abusing cocaine at the same time he decided to perform the criminal acts that land him before the court today. In sum, the present conviction was the result of a series of tremendously poor decisions.”
Taitano wrote that Nunez has always been the primary provider for his five children — four with his wife and one from a previous relationship — and asked the court to weigh the family’s dependence on him.
He began working as an employee of a bodega store and with the help of his father was able to purchase his own.
The name of the bodega was not listed in the sentencing memorandum.
Taitano sought leniency from Burroughs, asking the court to “give special consideration to the plight of (Nunez’s) children, whose mother has now fallen into the difficult and tragic status of being a single parent.”
“Mr. Nunez’s commitment to his children has always been his number one priority, and he has always been responsible for the children financially their whole lives,” the defense attorney said. “Mr. Nunez understands that he must utilize his incarceration to better himself because his children will still need his financial support after his release.”
In seeking a sentence of three years and five months behind bars for his client, Taitano argued that a longer term was unnecessary.
“Any more jail time will serve no legitimate public policy,” Taitano said.
Nunez, who pleaded guilty in March to money laundering conspiracy and three counts of money laundering, aiding and abetting, was ultimately sentenced by Burroughs to three years and nine months in prison. He will also serve three years of supervised release.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
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