Concord, NH – Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald, New Hampshire Department of Corrections Commissioner Helen Hanks, and United States Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent-in-Charge Brian D. Boyle, announce that Benny Ranes has pleaded guilty and been sentenced for his role in a conspiracy to introduce fentanyl into New Hampshire for distribution.

On November 16, 2020, Benny Ranes, age 43, of Berlin, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 6-12 years stand committed in the New Hampshire State Prison, with three years suspended from the minimum sentence for a period of ten years, conditioned on Mr. Ranes' good behavior and that he not receive any A-level disciplinary tickets while incarcerated.

Mr. Ranes was indicted in October of 2019 on a charge of conspiracy to sell a controlled drug, subsequent offense. The charge was brought after law enforcement learned that Mr. Ranes, while incarcerated at the New Hampshire State Prison for a drug-related crime, introduced a paroling inmate to Mr. Ranes' former fentanyl supplier, located in Haverhill, MA. That paroling inmate subsequently met with the fentanyl supplier and purchased large quantities of fentanyl for redistribution within New Hampshire.

The investigation and resolution of this case are the result of the collaborative efforts of the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office, the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.