Related Federal Cases
- Portland Drug Kingpin Gets 15-Year Sentence · Massachusetts
- Methuen Man Gets 27 Months for Identity Theft Scheme · Massachusetts
- Springfield Felon Gets 15-Year Sentence for Illegal Firearm · Massachusetts
- Hazelton Predator Brower Gets 9 Years · Massachusetts
- Ricco Gets Probation for EPA Fraud · Massachusetts
Cape Cod Kingpin Landry Gets 6.5 Years
BOSTON – David Landry, 29, of Mashpee, Massachusetts, is headed to federal prison after receiving a 78-month sentence for orchestrating a sprawling marijuana operation and then attempting to wash the dirty money. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani handed down the sentence today, which will run concurrently with the remaining portion of a four-year state sentence Landry is already serving for heroin distribution. This isn’t just a weed case; it’s a portrait of a career criminal operating even *from behind bars*.
The feds first indicted Landry, along with his mother, Diane Johnson, Justin Groom, and Evan Lopes, back in December 2015. The charges were extensive: possession with intent to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to manufacture it, money laundering, possession of methylone (“molly”), being a felon in possession of a firearm, and a money laundering conspiracy. From May 2014 to January 2015, Landry and Groom allegedly built a sophisticated marijuana grow operation, funneling profits back into the enterprise. Even after his September 2014 state arrest, Landry continued to direct the operation from jail.
A January 6, 2015 raid on a Cheryl Lane residence in Pocasset, Massachusetts, turned up a treasure trove of marijuana plants and professional growing equipment. Groom allegedly used the drug money to pay the rent on that property. Meanwhile, Lopes, aided by Landry, was allegedly moving methylone – a dangerous Schedule I controlled substance – with Landry communicating instructions from his jail cell. A subsequent search on January 15, 2015, at a Point Pleasant Circle address in East Wareham yielded two kilograms of methylone and letters proving Landry’s continued involvement while incarcerated.
The operation wasn’t limited to drugs. Landry, a convicted felon, was found to be in constructive possession of a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol on January 21, 2015. Law enforcement recovered the weapon during a search of a Falmouth, Massachusetts residence on Acapesket Road. Landry admitted to directing an associate to hide the gun. Adding another layer to the criminal web, prosecutors allege Landry and his mother, Diane Johnson, conspired from 2010 to 2015 to launder drug proceeds, masking the source of the funds and fueling further trafficking.
At sentencing, the government painted Landry as a persistent and dangerous offender. “This criminal conduct lasted from at least 2010 to 2015, and continued while he was in state custody,” a government statement read. The operation wasn’t small-time either. Landry poured over $40,000 into sophisticated grow equipment, expecting substantial returns. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were allegedly laundered through multiple bank accounts. The hidden firearm, prosecutors argued, demonstrated Landry’s intent to use violence to protect his illegal enterprise. This wasn’t about getting high; it was about power and profit.
Justin Groom already received a lenient sentence of two years probation after pleading guilty to marijuana and money laundering offenses on March 2, 2017. Diane Johnson and Evan Lopes remain free, awaiting trial. The case was prosecuted by Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service, and multiple Massachusetts state law enforcement agencies.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News