2 Lawrence men plead guilty to selling fentanyl to veterans seeking substance abuse care

Two men accused of selling fentanyl to patients at a veterans hospital in Bedford have been sentenced to prison, according to acting Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy's office.

Deiby Bladimil Casado Ruiz, 30, and Pedro Antonio Sanchez Bernabel, 31, both of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to drug charges in the case.

"Specifically, the defendants sold fentanyl to individuals at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Bedford, including one veteran who was seeking treatment at the Medical Center for a substance use disorder," according to a statement released by Levy's office.

Casado Ruiz was sentenced to 24 months in prison, while Sanchez Bernabel was levied 14 months incarceration. Both were also sentenced to three years of supervised release following their time locked up.

The pair were arrested on Nov. 2, 2022. A the time, Joseph Banavolonta, special agent in charge of the Boston office of the FBI called their alleged actions "absolutely appalling."