Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog
These have been big days for narcotics law enforcement specialists. State agencies as well as Boston’s various local FBI, ATF and DEA agents worked together to bring suspects to court and clients to lawyers.
Let’s take Pittsfield first. There, three daytime raids resulted in the seizure of approximately $35,000 worth of drugs as well as the alleged leader of the Bloods gang.
The hope is that the synchronized raids will bring an end to the violent crime problem that has been plaguing the area. The police chief said, “By following up in this investigation, it is our hope and expectation that we will come to a solution in some, if not all, of the violence that has plagued Pittsfield over the last several months.”
The raids were a result of an ongoing investigation by the Berkshire County Drug Task Force and the Pittsfield Police Department drug unit.
Meanwhile, a South Easton man was arrested on Massachusetts cocaine trafficking charges after police seized about $30,000 in cocaine and $9,000 cash in an undercover narcotics investigation headed by Foxboro Detective Thomas Kirrane and Sharon Detective Scott Leonard of the Norfolk County Anti-Crime Task Force.
Stephen K, 52, (hereinafter, the “Defendant”) who lives at the Easton Mobile Home Park on Route 138 in South Easton, was arrested last Wednesday in the Shaw’s supermarket parking lot at 760 South Main St. in Sharon, near the Foxboro line. When he was arrested the Defendant, who also has an address in Florida, had numerous bundles of cocaine with an estimated value of more than $2,000 and more than $2,300 in cash
Police subsequently executed several search warrants in Easton, one at the Defendant’s trailer home at the Easton Mobile Home Park and one at the Extra Space Storage facility at 598 Turnpike St. (Route 138).
Drugs and cash were seized from both the storage unit and from his mobile home, police said.
The drug seizures and arrest were a result of a lengthy investigation by the Norfolk County Anti-Crime Task Force, the Northern Bristol County Drug Task Force and Rhode Island State Police. More arrests are expected in this ongoing investigation.
The Defendant was ordered held in the Dedham House of Correction on $200,000 cash bail after pleading not guilty in Stoughton District Court on charges of cocaine trafficking, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and violating drug laws in a school zone.
He will face similar charges in Taunton District Court filed by Easton police for the cocaine and cash found in Easton, which is in a separate jurisdiction.
Federal charges regarding conspiracy may also be coming.
Attorney Sam’s Take:
What do the Defendant and anyone else swept up in either investigation have in common, aside from alleged participation in state and federal felony exposure for their part in the drug trade?
At the time law enforcement came a-calling, it is a good bet that they were not expecting that the busts were about to happen. We know this, at least in the Defendant’s case, because one would imagine he would not be food shopping with over $4,300 in cash and cocaine.
It is also a good bet that there are other soon-to-be-defendants out there who are being targeting in these ongoing investigations. Simply, there is too much money involved for them to be operated solely by one individual. These people may have gotten the message already that their days of free liberty are numbered, at least temporarily.
Perhaps you, and they, believe that anyone not already caught with the drugs are “home free”. Sorry, but it does not work that way.
The federal courts call it “conspiracy”. State courts call it a “joint venture”. Either way, it means virtually the same thing. Anyone the police believe to have been part of the drug trade connected with what they have now seized will be alleged part of the trafficking of those drugs. As a part of this conspiracy to violate drug laws, each person is responsible for whatever anyone else did to further the venture.
We already know that these investigations are continuing, so anyone soon to be tied to these cases has more notice than the Defendant that they ought to prepare for such an eventuality.
The message, then, is the same as always. One does not receive an written invitation announcing that they are now under investigation. If you have reason to believe that you, or someone you love, may be under instigation for criminal behavior (this is true even outside the drug trade), it is best to think ahead and seek experienced defense counsel who can advise and defend pro-actively.
I will give you a little secret of the trade…we can usually do a lot more for you before either you or inexperienced counsel make various mistakes that we have to try to undo…!
NOTE: Nope. You did not simply miss it…I was unable to post the blog yesterday due to computer issues. Sorry about that.
The full article of this story can be found at http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/pittsfield_1262638___article.html/police_drugs.html and http://www.foxbororeporter.com/articles/2009/04/17/news/doc49e8cf54ba503405405531.txt
