Massachusetts nonprofit CEO charged with distributing cocaine, federal prosecutors say
Javan Tooley, founder of Adapt & Evolve, faces federal charges alleging distribution of crack cocaine and use of his nonprofit to facilitate drug trafficking.
Javan Tooley, 36, of Dorchester and Brockton, Massachusetts, founder and CEO of Adapt & Evolve, a nonprofit that helps people clear criminal records, was charged in federal court Friday with distribution of cocaine base and possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base. He appeared in federal court Friday and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to the Department of Justice, on Sept. 10, 2025, Tooley distributed 100 grams of crack cocaine in Dorchester near Adapt & Evolve, with a 6- or 7-year-old child in the back seat of his car. Prosecutors said he contacted a cooperating witness and arranged another sale for Sept. 23, 2025, near Roxbury District Court. He was taken into custody on arrival, and authorities found approximately 160 grams of crack cocaine. Prosecutors also said he recruited women, many suffering from substance use disorders, to engage in paid sex for his financial benefit and to distribute controlled substances for him. Tooley allegedly used the nonprofit's phone to coordinate drug transactions and claimed to have connections to law enforcement and other powerful officials.
Tooley has a prior 2010 Boston conviction for distributing cocaine, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison. After his release around 2015, he violated the terms of supervised release on at least five occasions, resulting in nearly two additional years in custody. If convicted on the current charges, he would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and could be fined up to $8 million.
The case underscores the government's effort to crack down on drug trafficking linked to individuals who operate or influence nonprofit organizations. Adapt & Evolve describes its mission as helping people clear records, and prosecutors allege that Tooley used the nonprofit's resources to coordinate illicit activity. The DOJ did not specify whether the nonprofit remains active, and no additional public details about its status were provided.
Tooley appeared in federal court Friday; a trial date has yet to be scheduled. He remains in custody pending future proceedings.