An influential leader of an international drug gang, Noel Haro, was sentenced in Boston for his role in trafficking narcotics while incarcerated. Haro, 50, received a sentence of 188 months to run concurrently with his existing life sentences at the Massachusetts Department of Correction. The sentencing followed his guilty plea in March 2025 to charges including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young also imposed five years of supervised release on Haro. His indictment in April 2023 included his brother Marcos Haro. “Even behind bars, Noel Haro continued to direct the operations of an international drug trafficking network and peddle poison into our communities,” stated United States Attorney Leah B. Foley.
FBI Special Agent Ted E. Docks emphasized that Haro’s activities should serve as a warning against managing drug operations from prison: “This case should make it crystal clear… It’s only a matter of time before you will get caught.”
Shawn Jenkins, Commissioner of the Department of Correction, reiterated the DOC’s commitment to preventing illegal activity within their facilities: “This case underscores our commitment… I’m grateful to the DOC staff for their dedication and vigilance.”
Haro is linked with the “Border Brothers” gang known for drug and human trafficking in Southern Arizona and Mexico. Previously serving in Arizona, he was transferred to Massachusetts due to security concerns.
The investigation into Haro began around April 2019 when he tried facilitating drug trafficking via inmate phone calls. He recruited friends and family to transport drugs from Arizona to Massachusetts.
In June 2022, Marcos Haro sent samples of narcotics concealed inside a teddy bear via mail. Recorded inmate calls revealed discussions about further drug sales.
Co-conspirator Denise Guyette received an 11-year sentence in April 2025 after pleading guilty to related offenses. Marcos Haro pleaded guilty on March 19, 2025, with sentencing scheduled for July 17, 2025.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea E. Porter and Charles Dell’Anno prosecuted the case as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces operation aimed at dismantling major criminal organizations.
