Taunton Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug Distribution, Access Device Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Charges

BOSTON - A Taunton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for participating in drug distribution and a drug conspiracy involving wholesale quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine. He was also sentenced for using an unknowing individual's identity and an unauthorized access device to fraudulently rent locations he used for the purposes of drug trafficking.

Terrence Pyrtle, a/k/a "Big T," a/k/a "T," a/k/a "big_t558," 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In April 2025, Pyrtle pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue; one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft; one count of access device fraud; and one count of aggravated identity theft. Pyrtle was charged in April 2023, along with co-conspirator Ashley Roostaie.

Pyrtle and Roostaie utilized the personal identification information (including name, date of birth and Social Security number) of an unknowing individual to fraudulently enter into lease agreements for two apartments in Braintree and Somerville, which Pyrtle then used to participate in a drug conspiracy involving distribution quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine. The drug conspiracy in which Pyrtle participated also extended to other locations across the state.

Pyrtle and Roostaie also created an email account and obtained a counterfeit driver's license using the individual's identification information. Pyrtle and Roostaie also used the individual's identification information to obtain a Green Dot debit card account, which they used to make payments associated with the apartments. By placing the apartment leases under another individual's personal identification information, Roostaie and Pyrtle were able to conceal their connection to and use of the apartments which were used by Pyrtle in furtherance of his drug distribution and drug conspiracy.

In May 2025, Roostaie was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to two years of probation and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine as well as restitution of $1,000.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Brockton, East Bridgewater and Bridgewater Police Departments and Plymouth County, Suffolk County and Bristol County Sheriff's Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O'Donnell and David Cutshall of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.