Ireland Crime

Named as

Convicted, accused

Born

Between November 1997 and January 1998, from the ages reported

Offences

Facilitating a criminal organisation

Where

Co. Louth

Reporting

8 reports, 23 Jan 2025 to 24 Jun 2026

Outlets

dublinlive.ie, irishmirror.ie, rte.ie

Photographs

as published, with the outlet's credit

Images are shown from the outlet that published them and link back to the article. Copyright stays with the credited photographer or agency.

• Two men jailed for facilitating Drogheda organised crime group Facilitating a criminal organisation · Co. Louth

  Dean Thornton, 28, and Gary Kelly, 31, both of Moneymore, Drogheda, Co Louth, ran an online shop called Poundland to sell cocaine and cannabis via Instagram and Telegram between July 2023 and December 2024 as a sub-cell of the Boylan organised crime group. They were arrested in January 2025 and charged with Section 72 offences including facilitating organised crime, money laundering, and drug dealing. Both pleaded guilty at Dundalk Circuit Court in November 2025. On 19 June 2026, Judge Dara Hayes sentenced Thornton to seven and a half years (reported alternatively as eight years and nine months with 15 months suspended) and Kelly to six years and nine months (reported alternatively as eight years with 15 months suspended), backdated to 23 January 2025.

  Sentenced, 19 Jun 2026Convicted, accused · 8 reports

Each entry shows how that report described them.

1. 24 Jun2026
   Sentenceddublinlive.ie, in Two men jailed for facilitating Drogheda organised crime group

   New track dropped by jailed rapper Dean Thornton days after sentencing

   convicted, Dean Thornton, 28, male, named, irish (judged from name)Dean Thornton♂28IE
2. 24 Jun2026
   Sentencedirishmirror.ie, in Two men jailed for facilitating Drogheda organised crime group

   Jailed rapper Dean Thornton drops new track days after sentencing

   convicted, Dean Thornton, 28, male, named, irish (judged from name)Dean Thornton♂28IE
3. 19 Jun2026
   Sentencedirishmirror.ie, in Two men jailed for facilitating Drogheda organised crime group

   Emerging rapper jailed over 'online drugs supermarket' linked to Drogheda gang

   convicted, Dean Thornton, 28, male, named, irish (judged from name)Dean Thornton♂28IE
4. 19 Jun2026
   Sentencedrte.ie, in Two men jailed for facilitating Drogheda organised crime group

   Two men who ran 'online drugs supermarket' jailed

   convicted, Dean Thornton, 28, male, named, irish (judged from name)Dean Thornton♂28IE
5. 8 May2026
   In courtrte.ie, in Two men jailed for facilitating Drogheda organised crime group

   Two men to be sentenced over Drogheda gang involvement

   convicted, Dean Thornton, 28, male, named, irish (judged from name)Dean Thornton♂28IE
6. 8 Nov2025
   Convictedirishmirror.ie, in Two men jailed for facilitating Drogheda organised crime group

   Drogheda rapper to be sentenced after admitting to facilitating organised crime

   convicted, Dean Thornton, 27, male, named, irish (judged from name)Dean Thornton♂27IE
7. 24 Mar2025
   In courtirishmirror.ie, in Two men jailed for facilitating Drogheda organised crime group

   Trial for man charged with range of organised crime offences in Drogheda

   accused, Dean Thornton, 27, male, named, irish (judged from name)Dean Thornton♂27IE
8. 23 Jan2025
   In courtrte.ie, in Two men jailed for facilitating Drogheda organised crime group

   Two remanded on range of organised crime offences

   accused, Dean Thornton, 27, male, named, irish (judged from name)Dean Thornton♂27IE

Matched on the name as printed, ignoring quoted nicknames, and split by the ages reported. Two people who share a name and age would appear together here.