A Cambridge, Massachusetts man was sentenced on May 29 in federal court in Boston for large-scale manufacturing of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as wire fraud. Schuyler Oppenheimer, also known as “SK” and “Michael Sylvain,” age 35, received a sentence of 13 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release from U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV.
Oppenheimer pleaded guilty in January to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and two counts of wire fraud. He was arrested in July 2025 and indicted the following month. According to the investigation, Oppenheimer was technically skilled in synthesizing fentanyl, compounding controlled substances for distribution, and manufacturing counterfeit pills. Authorities seized recipes, pill press molds, documents, invoices showing purchases from online vendors, and multiple packages shipped from China containing pill press parts addressed to Oppenheimer or his associates.
Investigators reviewed orders dating back to 2019 and found that Oppenheimer obtained over 200 kilograms of filler powders and materials used for making pills. Based on recovered recipes, this quantity could yield millions of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. The investigation also revealed that Oppenheimer communicated directly with an illegal chemical supplier based in China regarding the availability of controlled substances and precursor chemicals needed for synthesizing fentanyl.
During a search conducted on July 18, 2024, at a Cambridge location linked to Oppenheimer, authorities recovered over five kilograms of suspected counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine along with a loaded firearm. Due to prior felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Additionally, prosecutors said that Oppenheimer obtained more than $40,000 through two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications submitted in April 2021 by submitting false statements about his income through self-employment for tax year 2019 along with falsified tax return documents.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the sentencing alongside officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Division; Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Massachusetts State Police; with assistance from the Cambridge Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts enforces federal laws throughout Massachusetts—including national security threats and civil rights violations—and employs over 200 attorneys and staff at its main office at John Joseph Moakley United States Federal Courthouse in Boston as well as branch offices across Springfield and Worcester, according to the official website.
