BOSTON – Patrick Joseph, a 41-year-old resident of Stoughton, has admitted to orchestrating a complex drug trafficking operation that distributed large quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. On March 14, 2024, Joseph entered a guilty plea to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine before U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV, who has set the sentencing for June 20, 2024.
Joseph’s role as the manager of this drug trafficking organization involved coordinating the importation of cocaine, in shipments ranging from 10 to 20 kilograms at a time, using the U.S. Mail. The operation cleverly concealed the cocaine in air fryers and locked cash boxes within the parcels. Joseph was directly in communication with suppliers in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico and managed multiple couriers who were responsible for retrieving and distributing the parcels. The operation also utilized various stash locations across the region.
The arrest of Joseph and eight co-defendants in May 2021 led to the seizure of 21 kilograms of cocaine, several firearms, and over $100,000 in cash. The conspiracy charge carries a minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison, a possible lifetime of supervised release, and up to a $10 million fine. Sentencing will be determined according to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, along with officials from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Cheng and James E. Arnold of the Criminal Division.