Stoughton man convicted of cocaine trafficking and fraud

BOSTON — A Stoughton man was sentenced to more than a decade in prison for his role in a cocaine trafficking ring in eastern Massachusetts and a bank and wire fraud scheme linked to federal disaster relief funds. pandemic.

In addition to the prison sentence, Patrick Joseph, 42, faces five years of supervised release. In March 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and cocaine base, wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.

From February 2020 to May 2021, he helped transport 10 to 20 kilograms of cocaine from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, and ultimately to Massachusetts via the U.S. Mail, according to a press release. The cocaine seized by investigators was found hidden in air fryers and locked crates before being sent through the mail. The investigation led to the search of several drug hiding places and the seizure of dozens of kilos of cocaine.

investigators also learned that Joseph was involved in a scheme to defraud a Covid-19 pandemic relief program. He participated in a scheme that obtained more than $220,000 in proceeds from fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications submitted between April 2020 and April 2021. He and his co-conspirator Yves Montima submitted 12 fraudulent PPP loan applications, both in their own names and on behalf of third parties. , in several financial institutions.

In November 2021, Montima pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud conspiracy and was sentenced in September 2023.