A Braintree man has been handed a 15-year prison sentence for his role in a drug trafficking and money laundering operation. Patrick O'Hearn, 64, received the sentence after pleading guilty to charges including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and money laundering in federal court in Boston last Friday. O'Hearn's involvement was linked to a larger nationwide network responsible for distributing large quantities of meth throughout New England, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Throughout the investigation, authorities seized over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, firearms—including an AK-47 and a Glock with no serial number—and in excess of 4,200 rounds of ammunition. They also dismantled an illegal marijuana grow operation that O'Hearn had set up with hundreds of plants. It was an extensive operation that extended well beyond O'Hearn, including 10 other individuals charged in the September 2021 indictment. O'Hearn, identified as a regular distributor for methamphetamine supplier Reshat Alkayisi, paid at least $100,000 between January and July 2021 to Alkayisi for the drugs, as evidenced by bank records.
Aside from the drug trafficking charges, O'Hearn's money laundering activities further implicated him in the criminal enterprise. Authorities revealed that O'Hearn allowed Alkayisi to use his residence as an address for a shell company purposed to launder drug proceeds. Alkayisi himself pleaded guilty to related charges and, as of September 2024, faces a 23-year prison sentence followed by five years of supervised release. O'Hearn is the 10th defendant to be sentenced in this case, with the final guilty party awaiting sentencing.
The federal law enforcement's takedown of this network was a multi-agency effort, with contributions from the FBI, DEA, and several local and state police departments, as detailed on the U.S. Attorney's Office website. The case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, showing the agencies' dedication to dismantling major criminal organizations using a strategic, prosecutor-led approach. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and Katherine Ferguson are leading the prosecution.
