Nationwide drug trafficker sentenced to 20 years in prison

One of the largest methamphetamine dealers has been convicted in federal court in Boston, the office of Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy announced.

U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton sentenced Reshat Alkayisi, 63, a Turkish citizen residing in Covington, Rhode Island, on Sept. 17 to 23 years in prison, followed by five years of probation, Levy's office said in a statement.

Alkayisi pleaded guilty to five counts of a second indictment in April 2024. He is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two counts of money laundering.

In late 2020, Alkayisi was exposed as a meth wholesaler who distributed multi-pound quantities to customers throughout New England, Levy's office said. Between October 2020 and April 2021, Alkayisi personally delivered two of the organization's 12 controlled meth purchases, with one purchase delivered by a co-conspirator.

Investigators intercepted messages that showed Alkayisi supplied several dealer customers with pure meth, the statement said. He boasted to dealers about the quality, telling them they would “get nice, big crystals” and their “contacts should [be] satisfied with the product size.”

Alkayisi also operated a large-scale cannabis cultivation operation out of his Rhode Island home, Levy's office said, including while Alkayisi was on probation for a conviction of illegal cannabis trafficking.

He typically charged dealers between $5,000 and $6,000 per pound of meth and used various methods to conceal the proceeds, the statement said. These methods included paying bail to his dealers, using peer-to-peer transfers and purchasing vehicles with cash.

On June 1, 2021, four packages totaling about 100 pounds of pure meth were seized that had been picked up at a UPS store in Rhode Island on behalf of Alkayisi, Levy's office said. All of the packages were addressed to his shell company, which he used to launder his drug proceeds.

On June 25, another package was stolen. It had been sent to Alkayisi and contained approximately 30 pounds of pure meth. During the course of the investigation, approximately 160 pounds of meth was seized during controlled buys, vehicle inspections and package seizures.

Authorities searched Alkayisi's state of Rhode Island and found an AK-47 assault rifle, a Glock pistol with no serial number, over 4,200 rounds of ammunition and over $23,000 in cash.

“In addition, numerous electronic devices were seized, including a computer that contained a ledger documenting Alkayisi's methamphetamine sales from January through June 2021,” Levy's office said. “Based on the ledger and the seizures, Alkayisi was responsible for over 660 pounds of methamphetamine over six months.”

Authorities also discovered a cannabis cultivation operation “with hundreds of marijuana plants in all stages of production for distribution,” Levy’s office said.

Alkayisi is the seventh defendant to be convicted in the case. All other defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.