Two men sentenced in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine drug ring after 160+ pounds of meth, guns, ammo seized

BOSTON – Two members of a nationwide drug trafficking ring were sentenced today in federal court in Boston. During the investigation over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as an AK-47, a Glock with no serial number, two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns and over 4,200 rounds of ammunition were seized. An illegal marijuana grow operation with hundreds of marijuana plants was also dismantled.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Justice, 48-year-old Edison Klotz of Stoughton, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 46 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of a superseding information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

55-year-old Brian Keleman of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and money laundering conspiracy. 

The superseding indictment also charged 10 other defendants with controlled substance offenses, firearm offenses and money laundering offenses. 

In approximately October 2020, investigators received information about drug trafficking activities of a large-scale methamphetamine supplier in the Boston area. Over the course of the investigation, a cooperating witness completed controlled purchases from members of the drug trafficking organization, including from Klotz. In November 2020, Klotz distributed over 108 grams of pure methamphetamine to the cooperating witness.  

In late 2020, co-defendant Reshat Alkayisi was identified as a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker, who distributed multi-pound quantities to distributor customers throughout the New England area. Between October 2020 and April 2021, 12 controlled purchases of methamphetamine were made from the drug trafficking organization—two of which were delivered personally by Alkayisi and one that was negotiated with Alkayisi and delivered by Keleman. The investigation also revealed that Keleman worked for Alkayisi on Alkayisi’s illegal marijuana grow. In addition, Keleman delivered methamphetamine on behalf of Alkayisi and also assisted Alkayisi in laundering his drug proceeds.   

Klotz and Keleman are the fifth and sixth defendants to be sentenced. All other defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing or have been sentenced.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and Katherine Ferguson 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.