Manchester Man Sentenced to 83 Months in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Distribution and Illegally Possessing a Firearm

CONCORD - A Manchester man was sentenced in federal court for distributing fentanyl and for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.

Thomas Holland, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya McCafferty to 83 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. On March 28, 2024, Holland pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with three counts of drug distribution and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

"The defendant placed our community in danger by trafficking fentanyl. That danger was magnified by his illegal possession of a firearm," said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. "The defendant will now serve a lengthy prison sentence, preventing him from endangering others."

"Drug trafficking, along with the violence that all too often accompanies it, is a serious threat to the safety and security of our communities," said Acting DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau, New England Field Division. "This is unacceptable and will not be allowed to happen. The DEA and our local, state and federal partners are dedicated to bringing to justice those that commit these crimes."

On three occasions, between August and September 2023, Holland distributed a total of 829 grams of fentanyl to a confidential source. When the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested him for his conduct, he was in possession of a 9 mm handgun. The defendant is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Cherniske is prosecuting the case.

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