Woman admits to role in fentanyl distribution

Sep. 30—SALEM — A Saugus woman has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and firearms charges for her role as a "runner" in an alleged North Shore drug trafficking ring that peddled counterfeit Percocet pills made of fentanyl.

Nicole Benton, 45, will be sentenced early next year. The charges carry mandatory minimum five-year prison terms.

She has also agreed to forfeit cash, a handgun, a Rolex watch and a solid gold necklace that had been cast in the image of her face, Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Mallard told a federal judge on Thursday.

Benton was one of five people charged in June in connection with the ring, allegedly led by Vincent "Fatz" Caruso, 26, of Salem. Also charged were Ernest Johnson, 33, who was described as providing "security" for the group, and Caruso's mother, Laurie Caruso, 51, of Lynn. A fifth suspect was identified as Cesar Rivera, 22, of Revere.

During Thursday's hearing before Judge Allison Burroughs, Benton's attorney, Aviva Jeruchim, said her client was waiving indictment in the case.

Mallard said Benton's role involved setting up meetings and distributing the pills to lower-level dealers and customers.

He told the judge she joined the organization only last year, after Caruso was arrested in a separate case.

Mallard said the group distributed a range of illegal drugs, and kept apartments at various locations. One of the pieces of evidence seized was a pill press that could produce 15,000 pills an hour. Pills would be made using small amounts of fentanyl, a synthetic opiate, and disguised to look like Percocet.

Just this week the DEA announced a rare public safety alert due to the widespread availability of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.

Mallard said investigators believe the ring could be responsible for as many as a million counterfeit pills across Massachusetts.

The business was allegedly a lucrative one: A kilogram of fentanyl could be purchased for $40,000, then turned into 100,000 pills, with a street value of up to $15 each.

Benton was being paid $600 to $800 a week, Mallard told Burroughs.

Sentencing was set for Jan. 20.

Courts reporter Julie Manganis can be reached at 978-338-2521, by email at jmanganis@salemnews.com or on Twitter at @SNJulieManganis

Courts reporter Julie Manganis can be reached at 978-338-2521, by email at jmanganis@salemnews.com or on Twitter at @SNJulieManganis