Lawyer who ran sober house while giving drugs to recovering users for sex, sentenced

BOSTON – A lawyer who owned and operated a Roxbury sober home has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to jail in connection with distributing drugs to recovering substance users in exchange for sex, Attorney General Maura Healey announced. The defendant also offered substance users legal representation and advice as well as cash and free rent at the sober home in exchange for sex.

David Perry, age 58, of Reading, pleaded guilty today in Suffolk Superior Court to the charges of Evidence Tampering (15 counts), Conspiracy to Distribute Illegal Drugs (eight counts), Possession of Illegal Class B, C and E substances (six counts), Distribution of a Class B Substance (one count) and Sex for Fee (six counts).

Following the plea, Judge William Sullivan sentenced Perry to two-and-a-half years in the House of Correction, followed by three years of probation, during which he must surrender his law license, not operate any sober houses/treatment facilities, stay away from and have no contact with witnesses, participate in and regularly attend Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and remain drug free with random screens.

“David Perry intentionally abused his position of power as both a lawyer and operator of a sober home to prey on and exploit those in his care,” AG Healey said. “My office has made combatting the opioid epidemic a top priority and we will continue to work with our partners to investigate and prosecute individuals who abuse and manipulate those in recovery.”

Perry was indicted on 32 of the 34 counts in May 2018 and had previously been indicted on one count each of Distribution of a Class B Substance and Conspiracy to Distribute Illegal Drugs in February 2018.

Perry owned and operated Recovery Education Services (RES) Inc., a non-profit organization that runs a residential facility for men in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction in Roxbury. The AG’s Office’s investigation revealed that from 2012 through 2017, while Perry was operating RES and practicing law, he sexually exploited young men at RES and at his residence in Reading in exchange for drugs, money, rent and housing, and legal representation.

He also falsified letters he sent to various probation departments on behalf of numerous individuals, including some who were his legal clients and some who lived at RES. In the letters, Perry falsely stated the individual had been tested for drugs and produced a clean urine sample showing no sign of illegal drugs. In some cases, the letters also falsely stated the individual was a resident of RES, sober and participating in the recovery programming offered at the sober house.

Perry was arrested in November 2017 after authorities obtained and executed a search warrant at RES and his Reading home. During the execution of the search warrant, authorities recovered cocaine, fentanyl and various prescription drugs including Methamphetamine, Sildenafil, Tadalafil and Clonazepam.