PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The United State’s Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts said that a Rhode Island man pled guilty for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy that spanned across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Texas and North and South Carolina. 35-year-old Erik Ventura pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Ventura was arrested in February 2022 after an investigation into a trafficking operation based out of Providence. The operation was known to manufacture large quantities of fentanyl pills designed to appear like pharmaceutical grade oxycodone/Percocet pills and distribute. Ventura was in charge of one of the stash locations and was paid to transport cash and kilogram quantities of drugs to and from New York as well as distribute thousands of fentanyl pills to wholesale customers in Massachusetts. During his arrest two industrial grade pill presses, approximately 20 kilograms of powdered fentanyl, pressed fentanyl pills and other items, including kilograms of pill binder used in the large-scale manufacturing of clandestinely pressed fentanyl pills, were seized. Ventura is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 1. Categories: Massachusetts, News, Regional News, Rhode Island