United States Drug Enforcement Administration

MAR 21 - BOSTON - A Worcester business owner was arrested yesterday and charged in connection with using the proceeds of drug sales to purchase and renovate nine properties in Worcester County, Massachusetts. 

Kevin A. Perry, 43, of Worcester, was indicted on nine counts of money laundering, three counts of aggravated cash structuring, one count of making a false statement on a loan application and one count of distribution of fentanyl.  Perry was held pending a detention hearing following his arraignment before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy. 

According to the indictment, in January 2005, Perry was convicted in federal court in Massachusetts of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute MDMA, commonly referred to as Ecstasy.  Despite filing an affidavit claiming he possessed nothing of monetary value to satisfy the court’s forfeiture order, Perry asserted to an individual that he successfully concealed “millions of dollars” in profits from his illegal drug operation from the government.  Following his release from prison in 2008, Perry allegedly returned to manufacturing and/or distributing controlled substances, including anabolic steroids, cocaine and fentanyl.  It is alleged that from April 2012 to October 2016, Perry used over $1 million in drug sale proceeds to purchase and renovate nine properties in Worcester County.  

Perry also allegedly used the proceeds from his drug sales to purchase more than 230 money orders totaling over $150,000 from the United States Postal Service and Western Union to make structured cash payments on real estate loans and to finance his wedding in August 2015. 

The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater.  The charge of aggravated cash structuring provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000.  The charge of making a false statement on a loan application provides for a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million.  The charge of distribution of fentanyl provides a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and no greater than life in prison, and five years of supervised release.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Michael J. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England; Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement.