Mass. Gen. Laws » Part I Title XV Chapter 94C
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E (2026)

Trafficking in marihuana, cocaine, heroin, synthetic opioids, morphine, opium, etc.; eligibility for parole

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 32E. (a) Any person who trafficks in marihuana by knowingly or intentionally manufacturing, distributing, dispensing, or cultivating or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute, dispense, or cultivate, or by bringing into the commonwealth a net weight of fifty pounds or more of marihuana or a net weight of fifty pounds or more of any mixture containing marihuana shall, if the net weight of marihuana or any mixture thereof is:

(1) Fifty pounds or more, but less than one hundred pounds, be punished by a term of imprisonment in the state prison for not less than two and one-half nor more than fifteen years or by imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not less than one nor more than two and one-half years. No sentence imposed under the provisions of this section shall be for less than a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of one year and a fine of not less than five hundred nor more than ten thousand dollars may be imposed but not in lieu of the mandatory minimum one year term of imprisonment, as established herein.

(2) One hundred pounds or more, but less than two thousand pounds, be punished by a term of imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 2 nor more than fifteen years. No sentence imposed under the provisions of this section shall be for less than a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 2 years and a fine of not less than two thousand and five hundred nor more than twenty-five thousand dollars may be imposed but not in lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, as established herein.

(3) Two thousand pounds or more, but less than ten thousand pounds, be punished by a term of imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 31/2 nor more than fifteen years. No sentence imposed under the provisions of this section shall be for less than a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 31/2 years and a fine of not less than five thousand nor more than fifty thousand dollars may be imposed but not in lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, as established herein.

(4) Ten thousand pounds or more, be punished by a term of imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 8 nor more than fifteen years. No sentence imposed under the provisions of this section shall be for less than a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 8 years and a fine of not less than twenty thousand nor more than two hundred thousand dollars may be imposed but not in lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, as established herein.

(b) Any person who trafficks in a controlled substance defined in clause (4) of paragraph (a), clause (2) of paragraph (c) or in clause (3) of paragraph (c) of Class B of section thirty-one by knowingly or intentionally manufacturing, distributing or dispensing or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute or dispense or by bringing into the commonwealth a net weight of 18 grams or more of a controlled substance as so defined, or a net weight of 18 grams or more of any mixture containing a controlled substance as so defined shall, if the net weight of a controlled substance as so defined, or any mixture thereof is:

(1) Eighteen grams or more but less than 36 grams, be punished by a term of imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 2 nor more than 15 years. No sentence imposed under this clause shall be for less than a minimum term of imprisonment of 2 years, and a fine of not less $2,500 nor more than $25,000 may be imposed but not in lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, as established herein.

(2) Thirty-six grams or more, but less than 100 grams, be punished by a term of imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 31/2 nor more than 20 years. No sentence imposed under this clause shall be for less than a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 31/2 years, and a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $50,000 may be imposed but not in lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, as established herein.

(3) One hundred grams or more, but less than two hundred grams, be punished by a term of imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 8 nor more than twenty years. No sentence imposed under the provisions of this clause shall be for less than a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 8 years and a fine of not less than ten thousand nor more than one hundred thousand dollars may be imposed but not in lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, as established herein.

(4) Two hundred grams or more, be punished by a term of imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 12 nor more than twenty years. No sentence imposed under the provisions of this clause shall be for less than a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 12 years and a fine of not less than fifty thousand nor more than five hundred thousand dollars may be imposed but not in lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, as established herein.

[Subsections (c) through (c3/4) applicable as provided by 2018, 69, Sec. 237.]

(c) Any person who trafficks in heroin or any salt thereof, a controlled substance defined in paragraph (d) of Class A of section 31, morphine or any salt thereof, opium or any derivative thereof by knowingly or intentionally manufacturing, distributing or dispensing or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense or by bringing into the commonwealth a net weight of 18 grams or more of heroin or any salt thereof, a controlled substance defined in paragraph (d) of Class A of section 31, morphine or any salt thereof, opium or any derivative thereof or a net weight of 18 grams or more of any mixture containing heroin or any salt thereof, a controlled substance defined in paragraph (d) of Class A of section 31, morphine or any salt thereof, opium or any derivative thereof shall, if the net weight of heroin or any salt thereof, a controlled substance defined in paragraph (d) of Class A of section 31, morphine or any salt thereof, opium or any derivative thereof or any mixture thereof is:—

(1) Eighteen grams or more but less than 36 grams, be punished by a term of imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 31/2 nor more than 30 years. No sentence imposed under this clause shall be for less than a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 31/2 years, and a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $50,000 may be imposed but not in lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, as established herein.

(2) Thirty-six grams or more but less than 100 grams, be punished by a term of imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 5 nor more than 30 years. No sentence imposed under this clause shall be for less than a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years, and a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $50,000 may be imposed, but not in lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, as established herein.

(3) One hundred grams or more but less than two hundred grams, be punished by a term of imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 8 nor more than 30 years. No sentence imposed under the provisions of this clause shall be for less than the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 8 years, and a fine of not less than ten thousand nor more than one hundred thousand dollars may be imposed but not in lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, as established therein.

(4) Two hundred grams or more, be punished by a term of imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 12 nor more than 30 years. No sentence imposed under the provisions of this clause shall be for less than a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 12 years and a fine of not less than fifty thousand nor more than five hundred thousand dollars may be imposed but not in lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment, as established therein.

(c1/2) Any person who trafficks in fentanyl or any derivative of fentanyl by knowingly or intentionally manufacturing, distributing, dispensing or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute or dispense or by bringing into the commonwealth a net weight of 10 grams or more of fentanyl or any derivative of fentanyl, or a net weight of 10 grams or more of any mixture containing fentanyl or any derivative of fentanyl, shall be punished by a term of imprisonment in state prison for not less than 3 and one-half nor more than 20 years. No sentence imposed under the provisions of this subsection shall be for less than a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 3 and one-half years.

(c3/4) Any person who trafficks in carfentanil, including without limitation, any derivative of carfentanil by knowingly or intentionally manufacturing, distributing, dispensing or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute or dispense or by bringing into the commonwealth carfentanil or any derivative of carfentanil, any mixture containing carfentanil or a derivative of carfentanil, provided, that such person had specific knowledge that such mixture contained carfentanil or any derivative of carfentanil, shall be punished by a term of imprisonment in state prison for not less than 3 and one-half nor more than 20 years. No sentence imposed pursuant to this subsection shall be for less than a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 3 and one-half years.

(d) Any person serving a mandatory minimum sentence for violating this section shall be eligible for parole after serving one-half of the maximum term of the sentence if the sentence is to the house of correction, except that such person shall not be eligible for parole upon a finding of any 1 of the following aggravating circumstances:

(i) the defendant used violence or threats of violence or possessed a firearm, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or a weapon described in paragraph (b) of section 10 of chapter 269, or induced another participant to do so, during the commission of the offense;

(ii) the defendant engaged in a course of conduct whereby he directed the activities of another others who committed any felony in violation of chapter 94C; or

(iii) the offense was committed during the commission or attempted commission of a violation of section 32F or section 32K of chapter 94C.

A condition of such parole may be enhanced supervision; provided, however, that such enhanced supervision may, at the discretion of the parole board, include, but shall not be limited to, the wearing of a global positioning satellite tracking device or any comparable device, which shall be administered by the board at all times for the length of the parole.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 418 cases (45 in the last 5 years), 1982–2026 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Roman, 609 N.E.2d 1217 (Mass. 1993).
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Commonwealth v. Roman, 609 N.E.2d 1217 (Mass. 1993). · cites it 11× “Before trial, the defendant had moved for dismissal of the indictment charging trafficking on *643 the ground that the evidence before the grand jury was insufficient to support the indictment.”
Commonwealth v. Frazier, 571 N.E.2d 1356 (Mass. 1991). · cites it 8× “Johnson were indicted for trafficking in cocaine in excess of 200 grams, pursuant to G.L.c. 94C, § 32E ( b ) (3) (1986 ed.), [2] and for conspiracy to traffic in cocaine, pursuant to G.”
Commonwealth v. Bongarzone, 455 N.E.2d 1183 (Mass. 1983). · cites it 6× “Smith were convicted by a jury of violating the marihuana trafficking statute, G. L. c. 94C, § 32E (a)(2), as appearing in St.”
Commonwealth v. Marrone, 442 N.E.2d 735 (Mass. 1982). · cites it 9× “G. L. c. 94C, § 32E (c), par. 3, 1 inserted by St.”
Commonwealth v. Varney, 461 N.E.2d 177 (Mass. 1984). · cites it 11× “G. L. c. 94C, § 32E (b) (3), inserted by St.”
Commonwealth v. Rabb, 725 N.E.2d 1036 (Mass. 2000). · cites it 6× “The defendant moved pursuant to Mass. R. Crim. P.”
Commonwealth v. Washington, 869 N.E.2d 605 (Mass. 2007). · cites it 3× “The defendant, Kyle Washington, and the codefendant, Aaron Thomas, were convicted by a jury in the Superior Court of trafficking in twenty-eight grams or more of cocaine, in violation of G. L. c. 94C, § 32E (b) (2). On appeal, the two primarily challenge the denial of their…”
Commonwealth v. Beverly, 452 N.E.2d 1112 (Mass. 1983). · cites it 5× “” Their convictions for trafficking in heroin were based on violations of G. L. c. 94C, § 32E (c), as appearing in St.”
Commonwealth v. Jimenez, 780 N.E.2d 2 (Mass. 2002). · cites it 2× “G. L. c. 94C, §§ 32E (b) (4), (c) (4), and 32J.”
Commonwealth v. Chappee, 492 N.E.2d 719 (Mass. 1986). · cites it 4× “After a jury-waived trial, the defendant was found guilty of trafficking in cocaine, G. L. c. 94C, § 32E *510 (b) (2) (1984 ed.”
Commonwealth v. Brzezinski, 540 N.E.2d 1325 (Mass. 1989). · cites it 3× “The defendant was convicted in a jury-waived trial of trafficking in cocaine in violation of G. L. c. 94C, § 32E (b) (1) (1986 ed.). The Appeals Court (in an unpublished memorandum and order under Appeals Court Rule 1:28) affirmed the conviction.”
Commonwealth v. Amado, 48 N.E.3d 414 (Mass. 2016). · cites it 2× “After a jury trial, the defendant, Aderito Amado, was convicted of trafficking in fourteen grams or more of 2 cocaine, in violation of G. L. c. 94C, § 32E (b). The Appeals Court affirmed the conviction in an unpublished memorandum and order issued pursuant to its rule 1:28.”
Show all 418 citing cases →
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(4) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Collazo, 607 N.E.2d 418 (Mass. App. Ct. 1993).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(6) — 10 cases
Commonwealth v. Meehan, 597 N.E.2d 1384 (Mass. App. Ct. 1992).
Commonwealth v. Gonzalez, 675 N.E.2d 1177 (Mass. App. Ct. 1997).
Commonwealth v. Pena, 575 N.E.2d 774 (Mass. App. Ct. 1991).
Commonwealth v. LaBonte, 516 N.E.2d 1193 (Mass. App. Ct. 1987).
Commonwealth v. Silva, 488 N.E.2d 34 (Mass. App. Ct. 1986).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(6)(1) — 9 cases
Commonwealth v. Arias, 563 N.E.2d 1379 (Mass. App. Ct. 1990).
Commonwealth v. Rivera, 581 N.E.2d 498 (Mass. App. Ct. 1991).
Commonwealth v. Blevins, 775 N.E.2d 1259 (Mass. App. Ct. 2002).
Commonwealth v. Gonzalez, 675 N.E.2d 1177 (Mass. App. Ct. 1997).
Commonwealth v. Dennis, 604 N.E.2d 48 (Mass. App. Ct. 1992).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(6)(2) — 7 cases
Commonwealth v. Ferrara, 582 N.E.2d 961 (Mass. App. Ct. 1991).
Commonwealth v. Lopez, 581 N.E.2d 485 (Mass. App. Ct. 1991).
Commonwealth v. Podgurski, 691 N.E.2d 980 (Mass. App. Ct. 1998).
Barriere v. Hubbard, 710 N.E.2d 1044 (Mass. App. Ct. 1999).
Commonwealth v. Cuffie, 597 N.E.2d 1069 (Mass. App. Ct. 1992).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(6)(3) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Manrique, 581 N.E.2d 1036 (Mass. App. Ct. 1991).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(6)(4) — 12 cases
Commonwealth v. DiToro, 744 N.E.2d 672 (Mass. App. Ct. 2001).
Commonwealth v. Rodriguez, 855 N.E.2d 1113 (Mass. App. Ct. 2006).
Commonwealth v. Dejarnette, 911 N.E.2d 1280 (Mass. App. Ct. 2009).
Commonwealth v. Mora, 976 N.E.2d 196 (Mass. App. Ct. 2012).
Commonwealth v. Marte, 993 N.E.2d 1201 (Mass. App. Ct. 2013).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(A) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Gentle, 952 N.E.2d 426 (Mass. App. Ct. 2011).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(A)(4) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. George, 622 N.E.2d 1390 (Mass. App. Ct. 1993).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(B) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Sanchez, 17 Mass. L. Rptr. 211 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2004).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(a) — 3 cases
Commonwealth v. Locke, 89 Mass. App. Ct. 497 (Mass. App. Ct. 2016).
Commonwealth v. Sanchez, 8 Mass. L. Rptr. 451 (Mass. Super. Ct. 1998).
Commonwealth v. One Hundred Thousand One Hundred Dollars ($100,100) & Christopher Parsons (Mass. Super. Ct. 2022).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(a)(2) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Lewis, 446 N.E.2d 1117 (Mass. App. Ct. 1983).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(a)(l) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Crapps, 997 N.E.2d 444 (Mass. App. Ct. 2013).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(b) — 27 cases
Ouber v. Guarino, 293 F.3d 19 (1st Cir. 2002).
United States v. Bain, 874 F.3d 1 (1st Cir. 2017).
Commonwealth v. Rubio, 540 N.E.2d 189 (Mass. App. Ct. 1989).
Ali v. Garland, 33 F.4th 47 (1st Cir. 2022).
Stegemann v. United States, 132 F.4th 206 (2d Cir. 2025).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(b)(1) — 10 cases
United States v. Bryant, 571 F.3d 147 (1st Cir. 2009).
Commonwealth v. Sanderson, 500 N.E.2d 1337 (Mass. 1986).
Commonwealth v. Shea, 545 N.E.2d 1185 (Mass. App. Ct. 1989).
Commonwealth v. Crapps, 997 N.E.2d 444 (Mass. App. Ct. 2013).
Commonwealth v. Antonio, 702 N.E.2d 382 (Mass. App. Ct. 1998).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(b)(2) — 13 cases
Commonwealth v. Crapps, 997 N.E.2d 444 (Mass. App. Ct. 2013).
Commonwealth v. Olivares, 571 N.E.2d 416 (Mass. App. Ct. 1991).
Commonwealth v. Colon, 598 N.E.2d 1143 (Mass. App. Ct. 1992).
Chappee v. Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 659 F. Supp. 1220 (D. Mass. 1987).
Commonwealth v. Movilis, 707 N.E.2d 845 (Mass. App. Ct. 1999).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(b)(3) — 11 cases
Commonwealth v. Rubio, 540 N.E.2d 189 (Mass. App. Ct. 1989).
Commonwealth v. Antone, 90 Mass. App. Ct. 810 (Mass. App. Ct. 2017).
Commonwealth v. DiMuro, 548 N.E.2d 896 (Mass. App. Ct. 1990).
Commonwealth v. Rabb, 873 N.E.2d 778 (Mass. App. Ct. 2007).
Commonwealth v. Ramos, 566 N.E.2d 1141 (Mass. App. Ct. 1991).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(b)(4) — 15 cases
Teti v. Bender, 507 F.3d 50 (1st Cir. 2007).
Commonwealth v. Luthy, 866 N.E.2d 930 (Mass. App. Ct. 2007).
Commonwealth v. Sanchez, 664 N.E.2d 868 (Mass. App. Ct. 1996).
Commonwealth v. Kipp, 785 N.E.2d 403 (Mass. App. Ct. 2003).
Santiago v. O'BRIEN, 628 F.3d 30 (1st Cir. 2010).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(b)(l) — 5 cases
United States v. Bryant, 571 F.3d 147 (1st Cir. 2009).
Commonwealth v. Crapps, 997 N.E.2d 444 (Mass. App. Ct. 2013).
Hurtado v. Tucker, 90 F. Supp. 2d 118 (D. Mass. 2000).
Commonwealth v. Amidon, 691 N.E.2d 229 (Mass. App. Ct. 1998).
Commonwealth v. Komnenus, 87 Mass. App. Ct. 587 (Mass. App. Ct. 2015).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(c) — 10 cases
Commonwealth v. Rosa, 459 N.E.2d 1236 (Mass. App. Ct. 1984).
Commonwealth v. Claudio, 525 N.E.2d 449 (Mass. App. Ct. 1988).
Commonwealth v. Escalera, 945 N.E.2d 415 (Mass. App. Ct. 2011).
Commonwealth v. Rosa, 464 N.E.2d 113 (Mass. App. Ct. 1984).
Commonwealth v. Damon, 971 N.E.2d 809 (Mass. App. Ct. 2012).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(c)(2) — 6 cases
Commonwealth v. Walorz, 944 N.E.2d 1061 (Mass. App. Ct. 2011).
Commonwealth v. Kipp, 785 N.E.2d 403 (Mass. App. Ct. 2003).
Commonwealth v. Mantinez, 692 N.E.2d 92 (Mass. App. Ct. 1998).
Commonwealth v. Larkin, 31 Mass. L. Rptr. 498 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2013).
Cook v. Lynn & William, Inc. (D. Mass. 2023).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(c)(3) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Almeida, 15 Mass. L. Rptr. 332 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2002).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(c)(4) — 2 cases
Commonwealth v. Perez, 90 Mass. App. Ct. 548 (Mass. App. Ct. 2016).
Commonwealth v. Mateo-German, 22 Mass. L. Rptr. 621 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2007).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(c)(l) — 6 cases
Commonwealth v. Crapps, 997 N.E.2d 444 (Mass. App. Ct. 2013).
Commonwealth v. Dillon, 945 N.E.2d 428 (Mass. App. Ct. 2011).
Commonwealth v. Ortega, 794 N.E.2d 1263 (Mass. App. Ct. 2003).
Commonwealth v. Caraballo, 965 N.E.2d 194 (Mass. App. Ct. 2012).
Commonwealth v. Golding, 86 Mass. App. Ct. 55 (Mass. App. Ct. 2014).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(fe) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. McBrown, 888 N.E.2d 976 (Mass. App. Ct. 2008).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(fe)(2) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Podgurski, 691 N.E.2d 980 (Mass. App. Ct. 1998).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(h)(2) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Whyte, 684 N.E.2d 625 (Mass. App. Ct. 1997).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(h)(4) — 5 cases
Commonwealth v. Rodriguez, 855 N.E.2d 1113 (Mass. App. Ct. 2006).
Commonwealth v. Martinez, 641 N.E.2d 1360 (Mass. App. Ct. 1994).
Commonwealth v. Arnaut, 940 N.E.2d 1232 (Mass. App. Ct. 2011).
Commonwealth v. Ricci, 781 N.E.2d 868 (Mass. App. Ct. 2003).
Commonwealth v. Brown, 782 N.E.2d 1105 (Mass. App. Ct. 2003).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(h)(l) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Ciaramitaro, 747 N.E.2d 1253 (Mass. App. Ct. 2001).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(o) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Silman, 479 N.E.2d 197 (Mass. App. Ct. 1985).
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 94C, § 32E(u)(2) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Alcala, 763 N.E.2d 516 (Mass. App. Ct. 2002).
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