Cambridge Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Drugs and Possession of Firearms

BOSTON – A Cambridge man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to federal drug and firearm charges. 

Ahsan Arty, a/k/a/ “Hass,” 24, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to possess and use firearms during and in relation to a drug offense. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Oct. 4, 2023. Arty was charged by criminal complaint in May 2022. 

In February 2021, Arty conspired to sell crack cocaine to an undercover officer and was captured on recording brokering the drug deal. Intercepted communications revealed that Arty also conspired with others to distribute cocaine.

In August 2021, Arty travelled to California as part of a promotional tour for an associate. While in California, Arty went to the residence of an associate and stole approximately four kilograms of cocaine. Text messages recovered during the investigation showed that Arty sent the kilograms of cocaine to Massachusetts and later began distributing them upon his return. 

In December 2021, Arty and another man traveled to Lawrence to rob an individual who they suspected of having drugs and valuables in their residence. During this incident, Arty was armed with a handgun. They entered the residence and pistol-whipped a woman and demanded the whereabouts of drugs and cash. Ultimately, the drugs and cash were not present. Arty was identified through surveillance video of the vehicle utilized in the incident and text messages proved his involvement.

In February 2022, Arty and two other individuals broke into the residence of an individual he suspected of having drugs and cash. The individual was not present. While inside the residence, Arty stole car keys and clothing and recorded a livestream video that he published on the internet. The next morning, associates of Arty attempted to rob the occupants of the same apartment and multiple rounds of gunfire were discharged during the incident. According to text messages recovered in the case, Arty came to pick up the robbers and drove them on a high-speed flight from responding law enforcement. Text messages also captured Arty and the robbers developing an alibi for the vehicle’s use in the robbery and chase. The vehicle was later located and impounded. 

In April 2022, Arty was arrested outside of a Boston nightclub due to a report of him having a firearm. When law enforcement responded to the scene, Arty drove his vehicle at the officers and struck a nearby vehicle. Arty and another passenger were immediately taken into custody. Two firearms, including a 9mm firearm that was equipped with a selector switch, rendering it capable of firing fully automatic, were located in Arty’s vehicle. It was learned during the investigation that the target of the February 2022 burglary and robbery was believed to be inside of the nightclub and that Arty was outside of the premises waiting for an opportunity to rob him.

At the time of the offense, Arty was on pretrial release for multiple pending state firearm offenses. These included a January 2019 arrest for possessing a firearm in Boston and a July 2019 arrest for possessing a firearm in Revere. During the Revere incident, Arty fled the scene of an accident and later attempted to flee law enforcement. 

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; John E. Mawn Jr., Interim Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin R. Hayden; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow; and Revere Police Chief David J. Callahan made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of Levy’s Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.