Brockton Man Convicted of Cocaine Conspiracy

Press Release

Defendant was member of a drug trafficking organization that received dozens of packages containing kilograms of cocaine via U.S. Mail

BOSTON - A Brockton man was convicted by a federal jury yesterday in Boston in connection with a wide-ranging drug trafficking conspiracy that that involved dozens of parcels containing kilograms of cocaine sent from Puerto Rico to various addresses throughout Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Investigators intercepted 10 parcels and seized more than 20 kilograms of cocaine from the mail stream.

Robert Monteiro, 40, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Oct. 24, 2024. In July 2021, Monteiro was indicted alongside 10 co-defendants.

"Mr. Monteiro's behaviors were dangerous and deceitful. These packages arriving from Puerto Rico were disguised as air fryers and cash boxes to pass though security checks, but they were filled with lethal drugs. The defendant and his co-conspirators failed to account for the capabilities of our federal, state and local investigators," said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy "Thanks to our law enforcement partners, we determined what was actually inside all those the packages. This case demonstrates our commitment to keeping illegal drugs off our streets in any and all forms."

"Robert Monteiro was part of a drug trafficking organization that coordinated a cocaine pipeline from Puerto Rico to Massachusetts through the U.S. Mail. His conviction highlights how committed the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is to dismantling drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of our employees and the American people. We would like to thank our extraordinary law enforcement partners at the Massachusetts State Police Department and the Boston Police Department for their invaluable involvement in this case. Together we will continue to be vigilant in disrupting criminal organizations who illegally utilize the U.S. Postal Service," said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division.

"I applaud the tireless effort and the dedication of the investigators in this case. The MSP is grateful for our partnership with the United States Postal Inspectors Service, the DEA and the Boston Police Department." said Colonel John Mawn, Massachusetts State Police. "The results of this collaboration are reflected in the significant and positive impact that dismantling this Drug Trafficking Organization has had in making our communities safer."

Beginning in February 2020, law enforcement investigated a drug trafficking organization operated by Patrick Joseph. Based on a wiretap investigation, Joseph coordinated the transportation of 10-20 kilograms of cocaine at a time from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, and eventually to Massachusetts and Rhode Island via the U.S. Mail. During the investigation, cocaine was found concealed in two-kilogram quantities inside air fryers and cash boxes before being sent through the mail. Various firearms, 21 kilograms of cocaine and over $100,000 cash was also seized. Monteiro served as a member of Joseph's drug trafficking organization, collecting packages and redistributing kilograms of cocaine that came in through the mail.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of $1 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 U.S. Attorney Levy; USPIS Inspector Larco-Ward; MSP Interim Colonel Mawn; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division and Homeland Security Investigations, in New England. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Cheng and Howard Locker of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Updated July 26, 2024