Violent Offender Arrested for Selling Counterfeit Pills to Undercover Officer

Press Release

Defendant allegedly has lengthy criminal history and served a lengthy state prison term for a brutal beating and assault with a firearm prior

BOSTON - A Taunton man who allegedly sold over a kilogram of counterfeit pills to an undercover officer was arrested yesterday in connection with an ongoing investigation of the manufacturing of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine.

Shavon Gurley, a/k/a "Soo Soo," 29, of Taunton, was charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. The defendant was arrested yesterday morning and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was detained pending a hearing scheduled for Aug. 27, 2024.

According to the charging documents, Gurley was identified as being involved in trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine in conjunction with a Brockton-based drug trafficking organization.

As part of the investigation, between Aug. 2-5, 2024, undercover law enforcement allegedly communicated with Gurley about purchasing methamphetamine pills. On Aug. 5, 2024, Gurley allegedly sold 6,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing over a kilogram, to an undercover officer. During the interaction, Gurley allegedly stated that he would drop the price per pill if the undercover officer were to buy 10,000 or 20,000 pills. It is further alleged that Gurley continued to discuss his drug operation with the undercover officer and boasted about selling kilograms of fentanyl that his customers then go on to sell in Maine.

During the controlled purchase with the undercover officer, Gurley allegedly stated that he sells kilograms of fentanyl for $30,000, and that the fentanyl is such high quality that it can be adulterated with cutting agents into 10 kilograms. It is further alleged that Gurley then stated he also sells a higher quality and purity fentanyl for $50,000, which can be adulterated into 50 kilograms. Gurley also allegedly boasted about property he has already acquired through selling narcotics and that he intends to reach $600,000 in profits. As alleged in the charging documents, Gurley complimented the undercover officer's "aura" and promised to do business with the officer in the future. At the time of the sale, Gurley was allegedly on pretrial release for a domestic violence offense.

Lastly, during the execution of search warrants at Gurley's residence and vehicle yesterday, law enforcement allegedly recovered a loaded black firearm, two posters depicting cherubim - with captions that read, "I Only Fear the Feds," and "Rats Don't Make it To Heaven," - a bag containing an amount of controlled substances believed to be fentanyl, as well as a number of plastic bags containing approximately 10,000 counterfeit Adderall pills believed to contain methamphetamine.

According to the charging documents, Gurley has a lengthy juvenile record and criminal history that includes a number of prior firearm and violent offenses - including a 2012 conviction for assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon for attacking a man with a pistol and pointing the firearm at the victim's head, for which he served a six to 10 year term in state prison.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, five years and up to lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. 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.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Taunton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Updated August 21, 2024