Donaida Gonzalez, also known as Yijana Rodriguez, pleaded guilty on May 20 to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in federal court, according to U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan.
Gonzalez, a 54-year-old citizen of the Dominican Republic, was involved with a drug-trafficking organization based in Massachusetts that operated in New Hampshire. Authorities say the group trafficked multiple kilograms of fentanyl and methamphetamine during early 2024. Gonzalez helped manage the organization’s stash house in Methuen, Massachusetts, where drugs were stored and packaged before being sold. She has been detained since her arrest in October 2024.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $1 million. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge using the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The Department of Homeland Security led the investigation with support from the Strafford County Sheriff’s Office and New Hampshire State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Shannon and Yasir Sadat are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative created by Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The task force is described as “a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.” The initiative focuses on interagency collaboration among agencies such as FBI, HSI, IRS, DEA, ATF, USMS, DSS along with prosecution led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire enhances community well-being by enforcing federal laws and safeguarding residents; it functions under direction from the United States Attorney General; handles prosecutions of federal crimes and civil cases involving government; serves through federal court representation; builds alliances with law enforcement at all levels; and acts as a federal law enforcement entity according to its official website.
