Police say a Pawtucket man shipped drugs hidden in kids toys. Now he is headed to prison.
BOSTON – A Pawtucket man was sentenced to seven years in prison Wednesday for his role in a "nationwide conspiracy" that trafficked drugs hidden in toy trucks, Disney items and Halloween decorations, according to the U.S. Attorney in Massachusetts.
Nathan Boddie, 38, pleaded guilty on May 19 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy said in a news release.
Boddie, others, shipped narcotics across the country hidden in toys
Boddie conspired with others, including a Woonsocket woman, to traffic methamphetamine, fentanyl pills and cocaine in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and elsewhere, Levy said.
The conspirators routinely used the mail to ship drugs from Arizona to Massachusetts, often hiding the drugs in packages containing children’s items, including toy trucks, a Disney pillow and a Halloween fog machine, according to Levy and court documents.
In total, more than 16 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 700 grams of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl were seized in the course of the investigation, Levy said.
More: RI duo indicted in nationwide scheme to traffic drugs in children's toys
Between May and October 2022, investigators seized seven packages containing a total of over 900 grams of methamphetamine, thousands of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, as well as suspected Dimethyltryptamine– a strong psychedelic, Levy said. One package destined for Boddie contained more than 200 grams of pure methamphetamine, the U.S. Attorney said.
Pawtucket police arrested Boddie on Feb. 6 after a traffic stop. Inside his vehicle, the police found a 9mm ghost gun loaded with five rounds of ammunition, an empty 9mm magazine and a 10-round capacity magazine loaded with one round of ammunition, Levy said.
Boddie tried to swallow a plastic bag containing 20 grams of methamphetamine while police were searching him, Levy said.
During a search of Boddie’s home, the police recovered two ghost guns, a 3D printer used to print ghost gun components, about 120 grams of methamphetamine and 10 different driver’s licenses, each bearing Boddie’s photo with names and addresses of other individuals, Levy said.
Boddie was indicted with two alleged co-conspirators, one of them Denise Guyette, a Woonsocket woman who allegedly led the operation. She has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. An Arizona man has pleaded guilty.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI man sentenced for trafficking meth, fentanyl in children's toys
