A Lynn resident, Harvey Rodriguez, also known as “Big Opp,” was arrested on August 6 in connection with an alleged drug conspiracy and a 2023 armed robbery. According to federal authorities, Rodriguez faces charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act.
Federal charging documents allege that Rodriguez participated in a multi-year drug operation based in Lynn and the North Shore area of Massachusetts. The operation reportedly involved the manufacture of counterfeit prescription pills and distribution of kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl throughout the region. Authorities claim Rodriguez conspired with other distributors, including Vincent Caruso (“Fatz”), Lawrence Michael Nagle, Jr., and Schuyler Oppenheimer (“SK”), all previously charged with federal drug offenses. During the investigation, Rodriguez is alleged to have distributed cocaine and methamphetamine on four occasions to cooperating witnesses.
Rodriguez is also accused of participating in an armed robbery during a drug transaction on January 30, 2023. Prosecutors say that during a scheduled meeting at an apartment in Woburn for the sale of one kilogram of cocaine for $24,000, Rodriguez and Claudio Melo entered the apartment armed with semiautomatic pistols. They allegedly took $24,000 in cash from a drug customer before forcing him to open an empty safe and then leaving with the money.
If convicted, Rodriguez faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge related to drug distribution and robbery conspiracy. He could also receive at least three years of supervised release and fines up to $1 million for the drug charge or $250,000 for the robbery charge. Sentencing will be determined by a federal judge according to U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The arrest was announced by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston office. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Massachusetts State Police, and Lynn Police Department assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard is prosecuting the case.
Authorities emphasized that “the details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
