Gary Jamal Webster, Cocaine and Fentanyl Distribution, Massachusetts 2020

BOSTON, MA – A former City of Boston insider is headed to federal prison after being convicted of peddling cocaine and fentanyl on the streets. Gary “Jamal” Webster, 36, received an eight-month sentence today from U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs, along with two years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had argued for a 30-month stretch, but the judge ultimately handed down a lighter penalty.

Webster, who previously served as the Director of Constituent Services for a Boston City Councilor, pleaded guilty in November 2019 to a slew of drug charges. The indictment included four counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of distributing and possessing over 40 grams of fentanyl, and a conspiracy charge covering both drugs. The feds say Webster wasn’t just a user; he was a supplier.

The bust unfolded in September and October of 2016, when a cooperating witness made a series of controlled buys from Webster. Over two months, the former city employee allegedly moved over 300 grams – roughly two-thirds of a pound – of cocaine, and 49 grams of the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl. That’s enough poison to kill dozens, if not hundreds.

This case was wrapped into “Operation Landshark,” a wider federal investigation targeting major players and repeat offenders in Brockton and Boston. The operation focused on individuals with histories of violence, firearm offenses, and drug trafficking, aiming to dismantle established criminal networks. It’s a clear signal the feds are targeting those who fuel the opioid crisis and the violence that comes with it.

The announcement of Webster’s sentencing came jointly from a coalition of federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the Massachusetts State Police, and several county District Attorney’s offices. The FBI’s North Shore and Southeastern Massachusetts Gang Task Forces led the investigation, with assistance from a long list of other agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service.

Operation Landshark also falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program designed to reduce violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement and communities. The DOJ revived PSN in 2017, doubling down on efforts to target violent criminals and make neighborhoods safer. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case. The question remains: how did a city employee become a drug dealer, and who else was involved?

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