Peter Molle Jr., Manufacturing Marijuana and Possessing with Intent to Distribute, Massachusetts 2019

BOSTON — A Holland man built a hidden empire in the heart of Massachusetts, turning his home into a high-output marijuana factory. Peter Molle Jr., 36, was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester to nine months in prison and two years of supervised release after admitting to running a sprawling black-market pot operation and laundering the illicit cash it generated.

Molle pleaded guilty in January 2019 to two counts of manufacturing marijuana and possessing it with intent to distribute, along with one count of money laundering. The charges stem from a years-long investigation that exposed a relentless cycle of cultivation and concealment, even after federal agents first raided his residence.

In February 2017, authorities executed a search warrant at Molle’s Holland home and uncovered a commercial-style grow setup housing more than 100 marijuana plants. High-intensity lighting, ventilation systems, and hydroponic equipment signaled a professional-level operation designed for maximum yield and profit — not personal use.

Despite being released on conditions following his December 2017 arrest, Molle didn’t walk away. Federal agents returned that same month with another warrant and found yet another major grow operation in full swing. The persistence signaled defiance — and a clear disregard for federal law.

The investigation peeled back the financial layers of Molle’s enterprise, revealing how he laundered drug proceeds to sustain the business. Cash from marijuana sales was funneled directly into expenses tied to cultivation, including paying down a credit card balance used to buy grow lights, soil, and other equipment essential to the illegal trade.

“This wasn’t a basement hobby — it was organized crime on a residential lot,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling in a statement. Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s New England Field Office, confirmed the case sends a message: federal prosecutors are tracking underground grow networks, even in states where marijuana is legal under local laws. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely prosecuted the case in the District of Massachusetts.

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