A Massachusetts man with 96 prior arrests was apprehended again, this time for allegedly trafficking fentanyl and crack cocaine.
The Webster Police Department, roughly an hour southwest of Boston, pulled Ryan Hassett over shortly before 2 a.m. on January 6 for an inspection sticker violation. Hassett had a suspended license and was placed under arrest while officers searched the vehicle. They subsequently discovered a rubber container full of crack cocaine, fentanyl, and other undisclosed drug paraphernalia.
Camera footage from the police cruiser showed the 34-year-old Hassett allegedly retrieving “three clear baggies with a white substance inside” and passing them through a small metal grate in the prisoner compartment. Officers then returned to the police cruiser and found the baggies, which contained fentanyl and crack cocaine. According to a social media post, the total weight of the fentanyl was approximately 21 grams.
Hassett was charged with trafficking at least 10 grams of fentanyl, possession of a Class A drug (heroin), possession of a Class B drug (crack cocaine), and driving with a suspended license.
Thank you @LawEnforceToday
Grateful to all our men and women in Law Enforcement ! Thank you for your sacrifice and for all you do to make America safer.
I look forward to working closely with you all to take out the bad guys and save our nation!!! https://t.co/GJqrk1xcuk
— Sara A. Carter (@SaraCarterDC) January 7, 2026
As of publication, Hassett’s full criminal history was not available. Details of his booking, as well as bail and his next court date, were also unavailable as of Thursday afternoon.
Hassett’s lengthy rap sheet quickly caught social media’s attention, with a Libs of TikTok X post drawing well over 200 reposts and 100 responses as of publication.
“I wish somebody would develop a list of judges by the number of criminals they have let loose who have gone on to be repeat offenders,” read one reply. “These clowns think they’re doing great service while inflicting pain on America.”
“You know better than this!” another user quipped. “You need to give people 2nd, 3rd, 97th chances, etc.”
Hassett’s arrest for alleged drug trafficking comes amid the Trump Administration’s increased attempts at combating illicit drugs. The U.S. Senate confirmed Sara Carter as the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, also known as the “Drug Czar,” on January 6. Carter is the first woman to hold the position.
Confirmed and Ready to Lead.
As Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, @SaraCarterDC is ready to lead the fight to save lives and protect communities.
America is Back.#drugczar #americaisback #usa pic.twitter.com/gmLWxrEGCK
— ONDCP (@ONDCP) January 6, 2026
In a press release, Carter called her confirmation, as well as the Trump Administration’s fight against drug trafficking, a “turning point” for the United States.
“We will hold accountable the narco-terrorists who infringe upon this right, participating in the deliberate poisoning of tens of thousands of Americans each year,” Carter said. “They will no longer kill our families, friends, neighbors, and even children with impunity.”
Carter previously worked as an investigative journalist for numerous outlets, including the Washington Examiner and the Washington Times. She is also a former Fox News contributor.
“I have seen these predatory criminal empires operate with impunity in our hemisphere,” Carter told senators in September. “That impunity ends now. .. This is not just a public health crisis, it’s a chemical war being waged against the American people.”
