Massachusetts nonprofit CEO charged with distributing cocaine, prosecutors say

A Massachusetts nonprofit chief executive has been charged in federal court with distributing cocaine, authorities said.

Javan Tooley, 36, of Dorchester and Brockton, is the founder and chief executive of Adapt & Evolve, a nonprofit that helps people clear criminal records. He was charged in a superseding information with one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, federal prosecutors said. Tooley appeared in federal court on Friday and pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors say the government has documented multiple alleged drug transactions linked to Tooley. On Sept. 10, 2025, he allegedly distributed 100 grams of crack cocaine in Dorchester, near his nonprofit, and is also accused of distributing drugs in his car while a six- or seven-year-old child was seated in the back. The Justice Department said Tooley contacted a cooperating witness again, indicating he had additional crack cocaine to sell, and arranged to meet on Sept. 23, 2025, near the Roxbury District Court. He was taken into custody upon arrival, and authorities say he was found in possession of approximately 160 grams of crack cocaine.

In the course of the investigation, Tooley allegedly recruited women, many suffering from substance use disorders, to engage in paid sex for his financial benefit and to distribute controlled substances for him. He is accused of using violence against his victims and of claiming connections to law enforcement and other powerful officials through the nonprofit. Federal prosecutors say he coordinated drug transactions using the nonprofit’s phone. The government notes that Tooley previously has a criminal history unrelated to the current charges.

Tooley’s 2010 Boston conviction for distributing cocaine resulted in a five-year prison sentence. After his release from federal prison around 2015, authorities say he violated supervised release on at least five occasions, leading to an additional sentence of nearly two more years. If convicted on the current charge, he would face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, in addition to potential fines that prosecutors have estimated could reach as much as $8 million. The case underscores ongoing concerns about the potential misuse of nonprofit platforms in illicit activity, authorities said, though prosecutors have not charged the nonprofit itself with wrongdoing in this matter.

Tooley has not been convicted of the current allegations; he pleaded not guilty at his Friday court appearance. The case is proceeding in federal court, and a next court date has not been publicly announced.

The Adapt & Evolve organization, which Tooley founded, has said it focuses on helping individuals clear records and regain opportunities, though representatives for the nonprofit have not provided comment on the federal charges.

The Justice Department’s case against Tooley is based on charging documents and alleged actions tied to the 2025 period cited by prosecutors. Authorities say the origin of the investigation involved undercover operations and documented drug transactions connected to the defendant.