WORCESTER, Mass. (WWLP) – A Worcester man was sentenced Thursday for cocaine trafficking, firearms, money laundering, and fraudulent tax return charges.
According to a news release sent to 22News by the Department of Justice in Boston, William Hoey, 41, was sentenced to 87 months in prison and four years of supervised release.
Hoey pleaded guilty to:
- Three counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and distribution of cocaine
- Two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine
- One count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a drug trafficking crime
- Two counts of money laundering; and three counts of filing a false and fraudulent tax return.
“Today’s sentence should send a clear message to drug traffickers across the District: this office takes seriously our commitment to holding individuals accountable who pollute our communities with drugs and violence,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Like so many others, Mr. Hoey thought he could make a business out of trafficking deadly narcotics and conceal his activity by laundering proceeds. I commend our federal law enforcement partners for their outstanding collaborative and investigative work to make the Worcester community safer.”
“Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities here in Massachusetts,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division. “Let this arrest and sentencing serve as an example to those who distribute poisons like cocaine. The DEA will aggressively pursue and hold you accountable. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners here in Massachusetts and our solid relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“The possession and distribution of illegal narcotics is often a predicate offense to both money laundering and tax violations,” Said Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office. “Drug traffickers use money laundering as a way to introduce their illegal profits into our local economies and failing to report these profits on their tax returns is a violation of the law. This sentence is another example of our successful partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration and our collaborative effort to identify and disrupt narcotics traffickers in the New England area.”
On October 22, 2019, while traveling to meet with the cooperating witness for another cocaine deal he had arranged, Hoey was stopped by police in his vehicle. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 499.4 grams of cocaine as well as a 9mm Ruger handgun containing seven live rounds of ammunition.
Hoey admitted that he had the gun in case there was a problem during the cocaine deal. A subsequent search of Hoey’s home resulted in the seizure of approximately 835.9 grams of cocaine from a safe, a Sig Sauer semi-automatic handgun loaded with eight rounds of ammunition, a black Beretta firearm with 10 rounds of ammunition, $4,450 in cash, cutting agents, a scale, weights, a money counter, and several cellphones.
Hoey also tried to hide drug trafficking profits by moving money from his bank accounts into accounts held by someone else. On October 25, 2019, Hoey caused TD Ameritrade to issue a check from his account in the amount of $80,400 payable to another person, which was then deposited into a recently opened Leominster Credit Union account in the other person’s name.
On March 24, 2020, Hoey caused another check to be issued by TD Bank in the amount of $87,180 payable to the same individuals that were deposited into the Leominster Credit Union account. Hoey conducted these financial transactions knowing that the funds in both the TD Ameritrade and TD Bank accounts did in fact include funds from his drug trafficking activities.