Worcester Police Bust Major Fentanyl Operation with Four Suspects, Including Father and Son, Facing Charges

The streets of Worcester are a tad lighter on fentanyl this week after the Worcester Police Department’s Vice Squad clamped down on a suspected drug trafficking operation. According to an official press release from the Worcester PD, detectives conducted surveillance on a Vale St apartment where Michael Hoose, born July 7, 1964, was the prime target of a warrant. What started as a quiet operation quickly escalated to an arrest-heavy scene yesterday morning.

Under the veil of dawn, the apartment glowed with life as lights divulged activity within. Detectives moved in around 7 AM. Once inside, they found not just Michael Hoose Sr., but also his son Michael Hoose Jr., Felicia Durphy, and Nicholas Trotta. Having secured the occupants, a moment of desperation struck. Michael Hoose Sr. offered detectives “an envelope with $10,000 if they would just go away,” the release stated on the Worcester Police Department. Despite this attempt, a search ensued, revealing a hefty haul of illegal goods.

The find was not light: Detectives unearthed approximately 650 bags of fentanyl, totaling around 150 grams, alongside the telltale signs of a drug operation – packaging materials and scales. The evidence pile grew with the addition of ammunition, a collection of presumably stolen goods including numerous catalytic converters, and a bounty of $226,430 in cold hard cash. This posed a damning narrative for the residents of the apartment, all of whom face various serious charges.

In total, charges laid against Michael Hoose Sr. include Trafficking in a Class A Substance (Fentanyl) 100-199 grams, Possession of Ammunition without a FID card, Receiving Stolen Property over $1,200, Bribery, and Intimidation of a Witness. Running in the family, Michael Hoose Jr. received similar charges with his father, minus the bribery and witness intimidation counts. Alone, Felicia Durfee was charged with Trafficking Class A (Fentanyl) 100-199 grams. Nicholas Trotta was caught up in the arrests, being apprehended for several outstanding warrants, according to the police statement.