GARDNER — Eighteen people have been arrested in connection with an alleged nationwide drug trafficking and money laundering scheme centered in Gardner, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts.
According to the charging documents, Hai Son Pham, 39, of Gardner headed a drug trafficking organization in northern Worcester County. From there, Pham and his co-conspirators allegedly conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute large quantities of cocaine, marijuana, counterfeit pills and other controlled substances throughout the United States.
According to court documents Pham registered and controlled Infinite Painting, a local commercial and residential painting company. Pham and his co-conspirators allegedly used Infinite Painting to launder drug proceeds through multiple financial institutions by concealing the illegal source of these funds.
The following defendants have been charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. They appeared in federal courts in Worcester as well as other courts nationwide last week: Hai Son Pham, 39, and Boonphet Sysoumang, 42, both of Gardner; Scorpio Ramos, 41, and David Vega, 37, both of Fitchburg; Kelly Breault, 41, Rafael Moreno, 38, and . Courtney Spaulding, 42, all of Leominster; Rhonda Reed, of Winchendon; Kenneth Godfrey, 59, of Phillipston; Gary Boucher, 46, of Shirley; Jose, Garcia, 36, of Chicopee; and from other states: Cesar Gonzalez, 42, of Rancho Mirage, Calif., and Abdeem Griffin, 31, of Vallejo, Calif.; Andres Montemayor, 42, of Arlington, Texas, James Jah, 37, of South River, N.J.; Fong Yang, 43, of Claremore, Okla.; Giovan Colon, 36, of Kissimmee, Fla.; and Frederick Hrdy, 38, of Honolulu, Hawaii.
The drug conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years up to lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The money laundering conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, special agent in charge of the Internal Revenue Service, criminal investigation, Boston Field Office; and Jarod A. Forget, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement on Monday. Assistance was provided by U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Massachusetts State Police; the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department; and Worcester, Gardner, Leominster, Fitchburg, Clinton, Lunenburg, Hopkinton, Westminster, Ashburnham, Winchendon, Templeton, Phillipston, Boylston, Sterling and Weymouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
-Office of U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley
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