Former Mass. Sen. Dean Tran, Sister Charged with Justice Obstruction

BOSTON – Federal prosecutors dropped the hammer today on former Massachusetts State Senator Dean Tran and his sister Tuyet T. Martin, charging them with obstruction of justice in a case that smells like a rotten deal.

Tran, 48, of Fitchburg, and his sis, 54-year-old Pelham, N.H., resident Martin, are accused of covering up a fake job offer from Martin’s company, Alecon Enterprises, Inc. Both face a litany of charges that could land them behind bars for years.

Back in November 2023, Tran was hit with 28 counts of fraud and tax evasion related to Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits. But today’s charges take it to another level, painting a picture of a family willing to bend the law for personal gain.

“The charges against Dean Tran and his sister represent a serious breach of public trust,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy said. “Their alleged scheme shows a disregard for the rule of law that is unacceptable.”

Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division, echoed Levy’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of letting justice take its course. “The FBI will not hesitate to bring anyone who tries to interfere with our investigations to justice,” Cohen said.

Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Mellone of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General promised a relentless pursuit of fraud and corruption, saying they would continue working with law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate such allegations.

The case revolves around a job offer letter that Martin allegedly sent to Tran. According to the indictment, Tran made false statements about the letter during a search warrant at his home in June 2022. Martin is accused of hiding and attempting to delete emails related to the offer and providing false testimony before a federal grand jury in July 2023.

Obstruction of justice carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years, while false statements can lead to five years behind bars. With these charges, Tran and Martin face a long road ahead if convicted.