Executive Summary
- Geraldo Rivera was sentenced to 5-7 years in prison for leading a New Bedford fentanyl ring.
- The conviction followed a wiretap investigation that began in 2019 and concluded in 2021.
- Rivera pleaded guilty to multiple counts of fentanyl and cocaine trafficking.
- Prosecutors had requested a longer sentence of 6-9 years for the operation’s leader.
A New Bedford man identified by authorities as the leader of a significant drug trafficking organization has been sentenced to state prison following a multi-year wiretap investigation, according to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office. Geraldo Rivera, 39, received a sentence of five to seven years in state prison, to be followed by two years of probation.
District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced that Rivera entered a guilty plea on November 25 in Fall River Superior Court. Rivera admitted to multiple felonies, including trafficking in more than 36 grams of fentanyl, trafficking in over 10 grams of fentanyl, trafficking in excess of 18 grams of cocaine, and conspiracy to violate drug laws.
The conviction is the result of a long-term investigation initiated in 2019 targeting a narcotics distribution network in New Bedford. According to prosecutors, Rivera was identified as the primary target and leader who coordinated the large-scale distribution of fentanyl throughout the New Bedford area and surrounding communities.
Investigators secured court-authorized wiretap warrants for Rivera’s phone and the devices of several associates and suppliers. The surveillance phase of the operation concluded on June 11, 2021, leading to the arrest and indictment of multiple individuals involved in the ring.
District Attorney Quinn stated that the wiretap evidence was essential to the prosecution. "The defendant is the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was providing fentanyl to New Bedford and the surrounding area. Fortunately, a court ordered wiretap was successful in providing evidence against the defendant and co-defendants that would otherwise not be available," Quinn said.
Prosecutors from the Commonwealth had requested a longer prison term of six to nine years, a duration Quinn described as "more appropriate" for the offenses. Rivera was the final defendant to resolve his case in connection with this specific wiretap operation, which resulted in prison sentences for several other co-defendants.
Investigative Conclusion
The sentencing of Geraldo Rivera marks the formal conclusion of a complex law enforcement operation that relied heavily on electronic surveillance to dismantle a regional narcotics supply chain. By securing a conviction against the organization’s leadership, authorities have closed the final chapter on a 2019 probe that targeted high-volume fentanyl distribution in the South Coast. This case illustrates the critical role of wiretap warrants in prosecuting hierarchical criminal enterprises, where evidence connecting leadership to street-level sales is often difficult to secure through traditional policing methods alone.
