https://thisweekinworcester.com/worcester-money-laundering-tax-fraud-111920/

A federal grand jury returned and indictment for William Hoey, 40, of Worcester, charging him with money laundering and filing a false and fraudulent tax return.

These charges add to a November 2019 indictment which charged Hoey with possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and related charges.

According to the indictment, Hoey conducted two transactions, the first of $80,400 on October 25, 2019 and the second of $87,000 on March 24, that were designed to conceal the nature of illegal proceeds.

It is also alleged that Hoey filed false and fraudulent tax returns for himself in 2016, 2017 and 2018 in which he falsely reported his total income for those years.

Possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison.

Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a mandatory sentence of five years in prison.

Money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison.