Belmont man sentenced to 58 months in drug case

The investigation and prosecution of a major drug ring that operated in the Lakes Region drew to a close yesterday when Philip Puopolo, 45, of Belmont was sentenced in U.S. District Court to a 58 month term of imprisonment on drug trafficking and weapons offenses.

Puopolo was convicted on May 17, 2004 of conspiracy to distribute over 5 kilograms of cocaine and a quantity of methamphetamine, and of being a drug user in possession of firearms and ammunition. In addition to the five years he'll be spending behind bars, Puopolo has been ordered by the court to serve five subsequent years on supervised release during which his behavior will be monitored by the U.S. Department of Probation. He was also ordered to forfeit to authorities his Belmont residence and a 2000 custom-built motorcycle.

Puopolo's conviction was the result of a two-year investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the NH Attorney General's Drug Task Force, the NH State Police, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Belmont police department.

According to officials, the probe focused on suspected cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking activities, and included a month-long wiretap of Puopolo's cellular telephone. Arrested, convicted and sentenced as a part of the investigation were Puopolo, Juan Melguizo, 38, of Chelsea, Mass., Narcizo Zarate, 31, of Revere, Mass., Kennard Lang, 55, of Laconia, William Mishel, 53, of an unknown address in Mass., Darcy Foss, 35, of Saugus, Mass., Armando Lovos, 35, of Lynn, Mass., Brian Jordan, 46, of Center Harbor, Peter Verrill, 27, of Laconia, Samuel Verrill, 37, of Meredith, Joseph Baumann, 36, of Gilmanton Iron Works, Gordon Potter Sr., 47, of Meredith, Scott Alati, 39, of Franklin, Martha Violette, 29, of Laconia, Kathleen Gilligan, 32, of Gilmanton Iron Works, William Walker, 46, of Laconia, Philip Wolfson, 42, of Plymouth, George Archambault, 45, of Center Harbor, and Gregory Potter, 22, of Meredith.

Of the sentences handed out as a consequence of convictions arising from the investigation — which ranged from probation to a 70 month term of imprisonment — only Melguizo, who received 70 months, and Zarate, who received 60 months, drew longer sentences than Puopolo.