Two Men Plead Guilty to Roles in Trans-National Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring

BOSTON – Two men pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to their roles in a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking and money laundering ring operating between Massachusetts and California.

Bruce Reisman, 51, of Boston, and Jesse Gillis, 32, previously of Allston and San Diego, Calif., pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges. Reisman pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and Gillis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. scheduled their sentencings for June 12, 2018, and June 13, 2018, respectively.

In November 2016, Reisman, Gillis, and nine co-defendants were charged with various methamphetamine offenses relating to a transnational trafficking scheme.

Beginning in at least 2013 and continuing to November 2016, Gillis and others participated in a conspiracy to transport significant quantities of methamphetamine from San Diego, Calif., to Massachusetts, where it was distributed in the greater Boston area. Proceeds from the sale of that methamphetamine were then transported and/or transferred back to California and laundered in various ways. Reisman possessed some of that methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it to others.

The charge of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property laundered. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; William Ferrara, Director of Field Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner William Evans made the announcement. The Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Reading, Watertown, Quincy, Chelsea, Braintree, Peabody, Waltham, and Woburn Police Departments; and Connecticut State Police assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Beausey of Lelling’s Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the cases.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.