Office of the Attorney General: Former Stoughton Court Security Officer Convicted, Sentenced on Charges of Drug Distribution

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

August 15, 2008

DEDHAM – A Norfolk Superior Court jury convicted a former Stoughton District Court security officer in connection with selling drugs in and around the Stoughton District Courthouse. Keely Johnson, age 32, of Stoughton, was convicted on charges of Distributing a Class C Drug (2 counts), Drug Violation Near a School or Park. Norfolk Superior Court Judge Kenneth Fishman sentenced Johnson to two years in the House of Correction on the charge of Drug Violation Near a School or Park. Johnson was also sentenced to three months in the House of Correction on one count of Distribution of a Class C Drug. Judge Fishman also sentenced Johnson to three years of probation on the remaining conviction for Distribution. These sentences will all run consecutively.

Another co-defendant, Joseph Iantosca, age 52, of Canton, pled guilty on June 25, 2008, to the charge of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class C Substance. Iantosca was sentenced to two years in the House of Correction. He will begin serving his sentence in September.

In July 2006, the Attorney General’s Office began an investigation after receiving information that Johnson was allegedly selling prescription narcotics in and around the Stoughton District Courthouse. An undercover state trooper assigned to the Attorney General’s Office made two purchases of Percocet pills from Johnson. On two separate occasions, Johnson sold numerous pills to the undercover trooper. Investigators discovered that the pills sold by Johnson were distributed to her by Iantosca, prior to the undercover purchases.

A Norfolk County Grand Jury returned indictments against both Johnson and Iantosca on August 3, 2006. They were both arraigned in Norfolk Superior Court on November 6, 2006, where they entered pleas of not guilty and were released on personal recognizance. Iantosca entered a change of plea to guilty on June 25, 2008, and was sentenced to two years in the House of Correction.

The trial for Johnson began on Monday, August 11, 2008, and lasted three days. The jury deliberated for approximately five and a half hours before reaching a guilty verdict at 1:30 p.m. yesterday. Superior Court Judge Kenneth Fishman sentenced Johnson to more than two years in the House of Correction, followed by three years of probation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Jessica Massey, of Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Special Investigations and Narcotics Division, and was investigated by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Attorney General’s Office. Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Norfolk District Attorney’s Office and the Stoughton Police Department also assisted in the case.