BOSTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Massachusetts), published as received.
BOSTON – A Lowell man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to distributing cocaine base (crack cocaine) and illegal possession of two guns.
Marc Sanchez, 31, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Sept. 17, 2025. Sanchez was arrested and charged in October 2025 and has remained in federal custody since.
Sanchez was identified as a drug distributor selling crack cocaine out of his apartment in Lowell. Specifically, on Sept. 17, 2025, a cooperating witness arranged to meet Sanchez at his apartment to purchase an ounce and a half of crack cocaine. At the time of the meeting, Sanchez was observed meeting with an unknown drug supplier in a car outside his apartment building to acquire powder cocaine. Sanchez then returned to his apartment with the cooperating witness, where Sanchez “cooked” the powder cocaine into crack cocaine, separated and weighed the substance, and then sold it to the cooperating witness. In addition, Sanchez used phone numbers and cars registered in other people’s names to deal crack cocaine. According to court documents, there were at least four outstanding arrest warrants for Sanchez in connection with open criminal cases in Derry District Court in New Hampshire, and in Boston, Lawrence and Lowell District Courts in Massachusetts.
On Sept. 25, 2025, Sanchez again produced and distributed an ounce and a half of crack cocaine to the cooperating witness at this apartment. During a search of Sanchez’s apartment approximately one week later, on Oct. 1, 2025, more cocaine, drug-coated cookware and drug packaging materials were recovered as well as over $3,000 cash and two loaded 9mm handguns from inside a safe in the apartment.
Sanchez has multiple felony convictions and he served over two years in a Massachusetts state prison in 2018 and 2019.
The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Greg C. Hudon, Superintendent of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Billerica, Haverhill, Methuen, North Andover, Salem (Mass.) and Manchester (N.H.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
