Date: March 7, 2022 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov A Worcester man pleaded guilty today in connection with cocaine trafficking, firearms, money laundering and fraudulent tax return charges. William 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. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for June 27, 2022. On three occasions between July 2019 and September 2019, Hoey sold over 348 grams of cocaine to a cooperating witness. On October 22, 2019, while travelling to meet with the cooperating witness for another cocaine deal he had arranged, Hoey was stopped by agents in his vehicle. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 499.4 grams of cocaine as well as a 9 mm 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 residence 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 attempted to conceal drug trafficking proceeds by moving money from his bank accounts into accounts held by someone else. On Oct. 25, 2019, Hoey caused TD Ameritrade to issue a check from his account in the amount of $80,400 payable to another person, that was then deposited into a recently opened Leominster Credit Union account in the other person's name. And, 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 was 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. Additionally, in 2017, 2018 and 2019, Hoey knowingly and willfully filed false and fraudulent tax returns by omitting his income from drug dealings in his tax filings for each year. The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and distribution of cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, provides for a mandatory sentence of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000. The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins' Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
