Three Dominican nationals residing in Lawrence, Massachusetts, were arrested on March 9, 2025, on drug trafficking charges. The individuals arrested were Juana Luduvina Aguasvivas, 66, Richard Arias-Aguasvivas, 38, and Ariel Ruiz, 31. All three appeared in federal court in Boston on March 10, 2025, where they were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, cocaine base, and cutting agents.
The investigation into the drug trafficking organization operating in Lawrence began in April 2021. Over the course of the investigation, more than a dozen controlled purchases were made using confidential sources. During these transactions, it is alleged that Aguasvivas, Arias-Aguasvivas, and Ruiz sold more than 600 grams of fentanyl, 60 grams of cocaine base, and large amounts of cutting agents. Surveillance footage and recordings from the controlled buys helped law enforcement identify the suspects as the primary distributors for the organization.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances carries severe penalties, including up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and fines up to $1 million. Sentences will be determined by a federal district court judge, based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The arrests are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). The operation brings together federal and local law enforcement agencies to fight illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and violent crime.
Significant assistance in the investigation came from the North Andover, Billerica, Haverhill, Methuen, and Lowell police departments, the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, the Massachusetts State Police, the Internal Revenue Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit.
The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. This case serves as a reminder of the dangers of drug trafficking organizations and the importance of coordinated law enforcement efforts to combat them.
