Salem Men Charged In North Shore Counterfeit Pill Drug Bust: FBI

SALEM, MA — Two Salem men were among four people charged on Wednesday in what federal authorities described as a "prolific drug trafficking organization" that supplied counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl to buyers on the North Shore.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said the defendants possessed a pill press capable of generating up to 15,000 pills per hour, which they purported to be Percocet, but which instead contained fentanyl.

Vincent Caruso, 26, and Ernest Johnson, 33, of Salem, were charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess 400 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of conspiracy to sell drugs over state lines and one count of conspiracy to possess firearms in conducting a drug crime.

Caruso was also charged with conspiracy to possess a tableting machine to manufacture the pills.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Vincent Caruso went by the nicknames "Fatz" and "Big Boy," while Johnson went by the name of "Yo, Pesci."

Also charged were Laurie Caruso, 51, of Lynn — Vincent Caruso's mother — and Nicole Benton, 45, of Saugus. They were charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to seel the drugs over state lines.

Cesar Rivera, 22, of Revere, was charged separately with one count of possession with intent to distribute and count of possesses a firearm in conducting a drug trafficking crime.

"Today's operation has dealt a crippling blow to a large-scale drug trafficking organization that is accused of bringing nothing but poison, mayhem and violence to the North Shore of Massachusetts," FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph Bonavolonta said. "We believe the individuals we charged today were playing Russian roulette with people's lives, by selling counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl to suppliers.

"By putting them out of business, and removing dozens of firearms from the street, many of which have been used in the commission of violent crimes, our neighborhoods are much safer."

All four were arrested on Wednesday and were to appear in federal court via Zoom Wednesday afternoon.

According to charging documents, Vincent Caruso, a self-admitted Crip gang member, operated the trafficking organization with his mother, Johnson, Benton and others, in a conspiracy to sell counterfeit pills for street gangs to distribute on the North Shore.

Charging documents said that replacing the Percocet with fentanyl could generate millions of dollars in profit. Caruso is accused of possession of multiple pill presses capable of producing thousands of pounds of pills per hour.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Vincent Caruso and Johnson posted and messaged photos on social media depicting AR-15 rifles, fentanyl pills, cash and high-end jewelry. Charging documents said Johnson described his involvement in the shootings, beatings and drug trafficking, and identified people he believed to be a "rat" or a "snitch."

Benton and Laurie Caruso are accused of laundering portions of the money from the transactions through sports wagers made in New Hampshire.

If convicted, the fentanyl charges carry a term of up to life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million.