FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2009
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FORMER STATE TROOPER SENTENCED FOR CONSPIRING TO USE EXTORTIONATE MEANS TO COLLECT DRUG DEBTS AND FOR CONSPIRING TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE
BOSTON, MA - A retired Massachusetts State Trooper was sentenced today in federal court after pleading guilty to a Superseding Information charging him with conspiring to use extortionate means to collect drug debts and with conspiring to obstruct justice by disclosing the existence of an ongoing criminal investigation.
Acting United States Attorney Michael K. Loucks, Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Investigation in Boston, and Colonel Mark F. Delaney, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, announced today
that JOSEPH M. CATANESE was sentenced to 25 months’ incarceration and 2 years supervised release by the Honorable Richard G. Stearns for conspiring to use extortionate means to collect drug debts and with conspiring to obstruct justice by disclosing the existence of an ongoing criminal investigation.
CATANESE was originally indicted for conspiring to distribute OxyContin®, a Schedule II controlled substance, along with Massachusetts State Trooper MARK V. LEMIEUX, of Norfolk, MA; PATRICK MCCARTHY (a/k/a “PAIN”) of Yarmouth, MA; and TARA I. DRUMMEY of Norfolk, MA. MCCARTHY has pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 41 months in prison; TROOPER LEMIEUX also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 70 months’ incarceration.
The original criminal complaint alleged that on November 28, 2006, at Boston’s Logan Airport, a large quantity of cash and OxyContin® pills were found in the possession of an individual who was scheduled to travel to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This individual ( “CW”) agreed to accompany a MSP trooper to the barracks at Logan Airport. Prior to going to the barracks, the CW told the MSP trooper that he was an informant for another MSP officer named MARK LEMIEUX.
The CW stated that he and others were traveling to Florida on a regular basis to obtain large quantities of OxyContin® pills (from Florida physicians and pharmacists) and returning to Massachusetts to distribute those pills for profit. The MSP trooper telephoned LEMIEUX and informed him that the CW had been stopped at Logan Airport with a large quantity of cash and OxyContin® pills in his possession, and that the CW was claiming to be an informant for LEMIEUX. LEMIEUX confirmed that the CW was an informant for him.
Subsequently, after further questioning by the MSP, the CW admitted that LEMIEUX’S live-in girlfriend, TARA DRUMMEY, had made several trips to Florida on his behalf for the purpose of obtaining OxyContin® from Florida physicians. Upon returning to Massachusetts from Florida, DRUMMEY would deliver the narcotics to the CW who in turn would pay her for the pills. The CW would then distribute the narcotics for a profit.
It was further alleged in the criminal complaint that in June 2006, LEMIEUX called the CW and said that DRUMMEY needed to make money. LEMIEUX, who knew about the CW’s ongoing OxyContin® distribution activities, inquired whether DRUMMEY could start making trips to Florida to obtain pills for the CW. The Complaint also alleged that in or about September 2006, the CW met with LEMIEUX and DRUMMEY, at LEMIEUX’S request, to discuss in detail the mechanics of obtaining OxyContin® in Florida and transporting it back to Massachusetts for distribution. During this meeting and other conversations, LEMIEUX told the CW to be careful traveling through Logan Airport. LEMIEUX and DRUMMEY thought the plan was a good one and all three agreed they could make money.
According to the original criminal complaint, DRUMMEY began traveling to Florida to obtain OxyContin® and other narcotics. Prior to each trip, LEMIEUX would call the CW and make arrangements for DRUMMEY to fly to Florida. LEMIEUX would subsequently “check in” with the CW to ensure everything was proceeding smoothly.
Beginning in late January 2007, LEMIEUX unknowingly engaged in a series of government-recorded telephone calls and in-person meetings with the CW and discussed DRUMMEY’s trips to Florida, as well as the outstanding money owed to her by the CW. On several occasions, officer LEMIEUX collected money from the CW owed DRUMMEY for OxyContin®, as well as computer laptops that were purported to be stolen in lieu of cash.
It was further alleged that in February 2007, LEMIEUX put the CW in contact with his former MSP partner, JOSEPH CATANESE, for the purpose of enlisting CATANESE’s assistance in collecting outstanding drug debts. On March 26, 2007, the CW spoke to CATANESE during a recorded telephone conversation and explained that he needed assistance from someone “with a little muscle” in collecting money owed him. CATANESE stated that he had “a guy” that could help, and the two agreed that CATANESE would accept 30% of the amount of money collected with his “guy’s” assistance.
Between March 28, 2007 and May 1, 2007, CATANESE, LEMIEUX and the CW participated in a series of government-recorded telephone calls, to discuss “the guy” and the collection of outstanding OxyContin® drug debts. On April 6, 2007, MCCARTHY, a/k/a “PAIN,” met the CW, CATANESE and LEMIEUX at the Braintree Mall parking lot to discuss the CW’s outstanding drug debt collection needs.
On April 11, 2007, the CW met MCCARTHY in East Boston for the purpose of making a collection of a purported outstanding drug debt from an individual who was supposedly given 200 OxyContin® pills at $50 per pill on credit. MCCARTHY entered the CW’s vehicle, which was equipped with audio and video equipment. Shortly thereafter, an undercover New Hampshire State Trooper also entered the CW’s vehicle in his undercover role as an individual who owed the CW approximately $9,000. MCCARTHY demanded that the drug debt be repaid and ultimately warned the undercover agent that he would be “picking splinters” out of his head and that MCCARTHY would “cut him from ear-to-ear” if he didn’t pay the drug debt. Shortly thereafter, the CW called CATANESE and informed him that MCCARTHY successfully assisted him in the collection of $6,000 in drug debt. Later, CATANESE acknowledged to the CW that he received his portion of the proceeds from MCCARTHY.
The original criminal complaint further alleged that during the course of this investigation LEMIEUX grew very concerned that his involvement with DRUMMEY and CW in the drug distribution scheme had been detected by law enforcement. After his arrest, CATANESE informed investigators that he was told by a law enforcement source that LEMIEUX's girlfriend, DRUMMEY, was under investigation for distributing OxyContin®. CATANESE further told investigators that he then warned LEMIEUX about the ongoing criminal investigation. LEMIEUX in turn began to take steps to cover his participation in the drug conspiracy, including preparing bogus investigative reports.
The case was investigated by the Massachusetts State Police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Bloomer and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian T. Kelly, Chief of the Public Corruption Unit.