Montclair man receives four consecutive life sentences plus 30 years

They say a cat has nine lives, but a federal judge would make a Montclair resident use almost half of those to pay for a string of violent drug-related crimes.

A federal judge in Newark has sentenced a Montclair man to four consecutive life terms plus 30 years for orchestrating three murders and operating a large-scale narcotics trafficking operation.

Michael Healy, 44, was convicted last April following a four-week trial on charges including racketeering conspiracy, drug distribution conspiracy, and three counts of murder in aid of racketeering.

Evidence presented at trial detailed how Healy ordered the killings of individuals he believed threatened his criminal enterprise. In February 2018, after learning an associate had cooperated with law enforcement, Healy directed members of the Bloods street gang to murder the informant.

The assailants mistakenly killed a bystander before later locating and killing the intended target. Weeks afterward, Healy personally shot and killed another individual he suspected of jeopardizing his operation.

The investigation revealed Healy had led a sophisticated drug trafficking network since 2012, transporting multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana from California to New Jersey using private aircraft, concealed vehicle compartments, and the U.S. Postal Service.

The organization processed and distributed drugs through stash houses in New Jersey, with distribution aided by Bloods gang members in East Orange.

Four co-defendants previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the murders and received prison terms ranging from 25 to 37 years. Healy received the maximum penalty under federal sentencing guidelines, ensuring he will spend the remainder of his life in prison.

The case was investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI’s Newark Joint Organized Crime Task Force and local police departments in Newark, East Orange, and Montclair. Prosecutors described the sentence as a necessary measure to protect the community from further violence.