East Wareham man one of four charged in connection with drug and money laundering offenses

Dec 17, 2015

An East Wareham man and three others were charged Thursday in an indictment unseal in connection with drug and money laundering offenses, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Carmen Ortiz.

The Attorney’s office said Evan Lopes, 27, of East Wareham; David Landry, 27; his mother, Diane Johnson, 50, both of Mashpee; and Justin Groom, 26, of Hyannis, were named in an indictment charging possession with intent to distribute marijuana; conspiracy to manufacture marijuana; money laundering; possession with intent to distribute methylone (also known as “molly”); and being a felon in possession of a firearm and money laundering conspiracy.

The indictment alleges that from May 2014 to January 2015, Landry and Groom conspired to manufacture and distribute marijuana, and possessed marijuana with the intent to distribute it. Landry, who was arrested and has been in custody since Sept. 12, 2014, is alleged to have continued participating in the criminal offense while in jail on state charges. Groom is also charged with eight counts of money laundering in connection with using the proceeds of the illegal activities to pay the rent of a Cheryl Lane house. It is also alleged that Lopes, aided by Landry, possessed with intent to distribute methylone on Jan. 15, 2015. The indictment further alleges that Landry, a convicted felon, possessed a CZ model CZ100, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol on Jan. 21, 2015.

The office said the indictment alleges that from 2010 to 2015 Landry and his mother, Diane Johnson, conspired to launder drug proceeds in order to disguise the nature of the funds and continue the drug trafficking activity.

The charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and possession of marijuana and methylone with intent to distribute provide for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of three years of supervised release and up to a lifetime, and a fine of $1 million. The charges of money laundering and money laundering conspiracy provide for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Heinrich of Ortiz’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit.