The owner and operator of a Roxbury sober home has been indicted on 34 charges in connection with distributing drugs to recovering substance users in exchange for sex, Attorney General Maura Healey announced last week. The defendant is also a lawyer and offered substance users legal representation and advice as well as cash and free rent at the sober home in exchange for sex, according to Healey’s office.
David Perry, age 57, of Reading, was indicted on May 4 by a statewide grand jury on evidence tampering (15 counts), conspiracy to distribute illegal drugs (seven counts), possession of illegal Class B, C and E substances (six counts counts), and sex for fee (six counts). Perry was indicted in February on the charges of distribution of fentanyl (one count) and conspiracy to distribute illegal drugs (one count). The sober home, located on Washington Street, has drawn criticism from neighbors and elected officials over the last 10 years.
Perry was arraigned on the charges of evidence tampering, conspiracy to distribute illegal drugs and sex for fee (three counts) in Suffolk Superior Court Wednesday. Perry pleaded not guilty to the charges and was held on $10,000 with the conditions that he be monitored via GPS and subject to home confinement, except on Sundays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and except for court appearances and probation check-ins on his own pending cases. He was also ordered to stay away from the sober home he owns and most grand jury witnesses and cannot apply for a new passport.
He is due back in Suffolk Superior Court on May 21 for a pretrial conference.
Perry will be arraigned on the charges of possession of illegal Class B, C and E substances and sex for fee (three counts) in Middlesex Superior Court at a later date.
Perry is the owner and operator of Recovery Education Services (RES) Inc., a non-profit organization that runs a residential facility for men in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction in Roxbury. The AG’s office alleges that Perry was distributing drugs to men seeking help for their addictions at RES. Perry was also allegedly distributing drugs to his legal clients who were substance users.
The AG’s office alleges Perry exploited men suffering from addiction by distributing drugs in exchange for sexual activity. The sexual activity occurred in Perry’s personal room at RES as well as at his residence in Reading.
The AG’s office also alleges Perry falsified letters he sent to various probation departments on behalf of numerous individuals, including some who were his legal clients and some who lived at RES. In the letters, Perry falsely stated the individual had been tested for drugs and produced a clean urine sample showing no sign of illegal drugs. In some cases, the letters also falsely stated the individual was a resident of RES, sober and participating in the recovery programming offered at the sober house.
The charges are the result of an investigation by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s office with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, the state Department of Correction and the Reading Police.
Perry was arrested in November 2017 after authorities obtained and executed a search warrant at RES and his Reading home. During the execution of the search warrant, authorities recovered cocaine, fentanyl and various prescription drugs including methamphetamine, sildenafil, tadalafil and clonazepam.
Healey has made tackling the opioid epidemic a top priority. The AG’s Office is using a multi-faceted approach that includes education for prescribers, pursuing illegal drug traffickers and pill mills, and expanding access to recovery and treatment programs.
Office of the Attorney General
