A Salem, Massachusetts man has been sentenced in federal court for his involvement in a drug trafficking organization based in the North Shore area. The organization was responsible for distributing counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Gino Castillo, aged 35, received a sentence of 37 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. This sentencing comes after Castillo pleaded guilty in April 2025 to charges including conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
The case against Castillo is part of a larger investigation that began in October 2022. He was one of 27 individuals charged for their roles in the conspiracy to traffic counterfeit pills. As of now, all have pleaded guilty and 22 have been sentenced.
The drug trafficking organization distributed these counterfeit pills primarily within the Lynn area. In May 2022, Castillo purchased 500 fentanyl-laced pills from members of the organization for further distribution. Later that year, he assisted Lawrence Michael Nagle Jr., a leader within the organization, with moving into an apartment where drugs were stored. A search conducted on October 25, 2022, uncovered counterfeit pills hidden at this location.
Lawrence Michael Nagle Jr., who also pleaded guilty in April 2025, is scheduled for sentencing on August 5, 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the sentencing alongside Stephen Belleau from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Division and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble of the Massachusetts State Police. Local police departments provided assistance during the investigation.
This case is part of an operation under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which targets high-level criminal organizations threatening national security through a collaborative approach involving multiple agencies.
