A Lynn resident, Harvey Rodriguez, was sentenced on April 24 in federal court in Boston to 10 years in prison for his role in a long-running drug conspiracy and an armed robbery involving $24,000 of drug proceeds.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address organized drug activity and related violence. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts enforces federal laws through prosecutions of crimes including national security threats and civil rights violations, according to the official website.
Rodriguez, also known as “Big Opp,” pleaded guilty in January to charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. He was arrested and charged in August 2025. Court documents show that Rodriguez participated with other distributors—including individuals previously charged with federal offenses—in manufacturing counterfeit prescription pills and selling cocaine and fentanyl throughout Lynn and Massachusetts. Investigators reported that Rodriguez distributed cocaine and methamphetamine on four occasions during the investigation.
In addition to his involvement in the drug operation, Rodriguez took part in an armed robbery on Jan. 30, 2023. During a planned transaction at a Woburn apartment, Rodriguez and Claudio Melo entered with semiautomatic pistols, took $24,000 from a customer engaged in drug trafficking activities, forced him to open an empty safe, then left with the cash.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley said valuable assistance came from multiple agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration; Massachusetts State Police; Lynn Police Department; as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard who prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office serves all residents of Massachusetts according to its official website, operating out of facilities at the John Joseph Moakley United States Federal Courthouse in Boston along with branch offices in Springfield and Worcester according to its official website. The office is part of the United States Department of Justice according to its official website and employs over 200 attorneys, paralegals, and professional staff according to its official website. It handles prosecutions of federal crimes as well as civil litigation for the United States government while promoting public safety across Massachusetts—a role it has held since being established among the nation’s earliest such entities dating back to 1789 according to its official website.