Salem Observer : Salem, drugs

Drugs lead to arrest, 350 syringes found in apartment

Salem Editor — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:40:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS
A local man is facing three felony drug charges after officers found a collection of narcotics and a large cache of used syringes in his apartment, police said.

Screams led officers to 39- year-old Jason Smith’s 3 Brook Road home Saturday, Nov. 14, at about 10 p.m., where they found him “extremely high on drugs,” said Salem police Capt. Shawn Patten.

“Smith answered the door profusely sweating with several syringe and scratch marks to both arms,” said officer Thomas Kench in the arrest warrant affidavit.

Smith told Kench he had ingested a gram of cocaine, according to the affidavit. While securing Smith’s apartment, Kench found, in plain sight, two “rocks” of cocaine and prescription drugs, including Endocet and lorazepam, also known as Ativan. Patten could not say how much of the prescription drugs Smith had in his possession, but said it as enough for personal use.

Endocet is a narcotic pain killer containing oxycodone and acetaminophen. Lorazepam is used to treat anxiety caused by unbalanced brain chemicals. In his affidavit, Kench said no prescription for either drug was found for Smith.

Kench also found drug paraphernalia and about 350 used syringes inside Smith’s home, according to the affidavit. Salem fire and rescue transported Smith to Parkland Medical Center in Derry. Officers took him into custody after he was cleared by doctors. It’s the second time in less than a month Salem police have encountered Smith, Patten said. On Oct. 31, officers responded to a similar call, finding Smith highly intoxicated and both himself and his apartment covered in ***, he said.

Officers also found a 5- gallon bucket filled with used syringes at the time, Patten said. Salem’s health officer, Brian Lockard, was notified of the unsanitary conditions inside the apartment, he said.

Lockard said he inspected Smith’s apartment on Nov. 3 with property owner Camille Saade. The apartment was messy, but not enough to warrant the town taking action, he said.

“The initial description was that it was very unsanitary,” Lockard said. “There were a number of areas that needed cleaning, like the bathroom and living room floors. I wouldn’t say it was unsanitary or required any kind of enforcement action.”

Lockard did request a follow-up inspection. He plans to return to Smith’s apartment sometime in about a week.

Authorities were in the process of drawing up a warrant for Smith when they were called back to his home last weekend, Patten said. Smith was held on a $10,000 cash bail before his arraignment in Salem District Court on Nov. 16. He is due back in court on Nov. 24 at 10 a.m.

Salem teen stiffed in drug deal, later arrested

Salem Editor — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:46:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

A local teen who turned to the authorities after a drug deal went sour at the Mall at Rockingham Park on Sept. 26 now faces criminal charges, according to police.

Authorities said Samantha Medina, 17, of Salem informed mall security officers and then a police officer that two fast food restaurant employees had refused to pay her for the roughly $40 bag of marijuana she had sold them at about 10 p.m. on Saturday.

Medina allegedly told authorities that the D’Angelos employees had taken the small bag of weed during the hand-to-hand transaction before slamming the door shut on her without paying. According to police, after further investigation the officer recovered a small bag of marijuana and took all three into custody.

Vincent Brown, 17, of Salem and Danielle Fiore, 21, of Kittery, Maine, were both charged with possession of a controlled drug. Police charged Medina with the sale of a controlled drug. All three were released on summons pending their arraignment at Salem District Court, according to authorities.

Two arrested for drugs by detective watching gym parking lot in Salem

Salem Editor — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:20:00 GMT

An investigation into a series of “smash and grab” thefts led to the arrest of two people for possession of marijuana on March 31.

Police charged Laurie Murphy, 35, of Methuen, Mass., and her stepfather Arthur Croteau, 55, of Pelham with possession of a controlled drug after officers spotted Murphy allegedly searching through Croteau’s parked vehicle for drugs at The Workout Club in Salem at about 9:30 p.m.

According to police, Murphy began acting nervously when Detective Mike Rogers approached her. Upon further investigation, police said a small amount of marijuana was found in Murphy’s vehicle. Rogers also discovered about an ounce of marijuana in Croteau’s vehicle after locating him inside the gym.

Police believe Murphy was searching for drugs inside Croteau’s car when she was spotted by the plainclothes detective. Both were released on summons pending their arraignment at Salem District Court.

Authorities began the parking lot surveillance after responding to reports of thefts at Planet Fitness and the Salem Athletic Club. Police said several vehicles were broken into and items, including a purse, GPS unit and cell phone were stolen.

Authorities do not have any leads or suspects at this time and the incidents remain under investigation.

– Derrick Perkins

Two busts in same Salem lot

Salem Editor — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:59:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

Police said an alleged drug deal has been broken up by police in the parking lot of a local Red Roof Inn, the second in that location in a single week.

Luis Rodriguez, 34, of Derry has been charged with three counts of possession of a controlled drug as well as three counts of transporting a controlled drug after members of the Salem Police Investigation Unit and uniformed officers took him into custody without incident at about 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31.

According to authorities, Rodriguez had a significant quantity of crack cocaine, powder cocaine and heroin on his person.

Police also seized $1,000 in cash from his vehicle.

Rodriguez is being held on a $50,000 cash bail pending his arraignment at Salem District Court and the confirmation of the personal information he gave police upon his arrest.

On Thursday, March 26, officers busted up another alleged drug deal in the same parking lot, arresting two Salem men after finding four large bags of marijuana valued at between $1,000 and $2,000.

Authorities have charged Jonathan Bergeron, 21, with possession of marijuana with an intent to distribute and Christopher Meucci, 20, with possession of marijuana after officer Michael Bernard spotted them hunched over in a vehicle attempting to hide as he pulled into the parking lot at about 8 p.m.

Accord - ing to authorities, in the parking lot, Officer Bernard stopped one of the suspects, who allegedly had a bag of marijuana in his sweatshirt, while the other was later located on the balcony floor of the hotel.

Officers also allegedly discovered a pot pipe and several more bags of marijuana inside the vehicle.

Both men were released on a $5,000 cash bail and are due before the Salem District Court for arraignments on April 27.

Teens talk more about drugs with parents, study shows

Salem Editor — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:34:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

A new nationwide study that indicates teens have become more likely to talk to adults about drug use, but educators are not letting up when it comes to opening up dialogue between students and their parents.

According to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, which released the 2008 Partnership Attitude Tracking study’s findings last month, 37 percent of teenagers surveyed nationwide reported that they had “learned a lot” from their parents about the negative impact of drug use.

With a 16 percent increase over the 2007 study results, this is the first major increase in that area since the study began 20 years ago.

Superintendent Michael Delahanty called the results of the study heartening, but he said parents are still timid about raising the subject with their children.

“Parents don’t need to talk about the health risks or consequences about what would happen down the road, but the more immediate consequences, like the legal ramifications or a drop in inhibitions. There is more risky behavior (with drug use), like unsafe sex,” Delahanty said. “With honest conversation, then the potential for those behaviors is diminished.”

Delahanty believes it is the high profile reports of the consequences of drug and alcohol abuse among teenagers and adolescents, as well as their parents, that has sparked any increase in dialogue. He pointed to incidents like the recent death of a 16-year-old Massachusetts girl following an all night party as having brought home the consequences of drug abuse to parents.

“Any parent of any high school student ought to be having conversations with their children about what choices they’re going to make,” he said. “If (the study data) is true, I think it’s a consequence of the attention that’s been brought to the overall problem and attention to children who might face those consequences.”

The Salem Youth Committee, of which Delahanty is a member, has spearheaded efforts over the past several years to break down the wall between teens, adolescents and their parents when it comes to illegal drug use and alcohol consumption. The committee has created a Safe Homes program that encourages parents to host and chaperone teenage parties and report suspected alcohol or substance abuse to one another.

The committee is also planning to release a public service videotape to raise awareness of the potential life-altering consequences of teenage drug use among parents. Delahanty hopes the campaign will dispel the myth that teenage drinking and drug use is a right of passage.

“(Some parents) have a ‘boys will be boys’ outlook or a ‘girls will be girls’ outlook or are afraid their children’s social status will diminish if they’re too strict about their children’s alcohol use and so might turn a blind eye,” Delahanty said. “We set our mission to minimize the acceptance of this because it is not OK and there are life-altering consequences to this type of behavior.”

Three arrested after ‘drug mule’ dies in Salem

Salem Editor — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:04:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

Three arrests have followed the death of a 25-year-old woman, an alleged drug mule, at a local motel after she attempted to smuggle $100,000 in cocaine into the country from the Dominican Republic.

Nine days after medical teams found Mally Cruz-Rodriguez, of Puerto Rico, convulsing at the Park View Motel on Nov. 26, police took into custody Angel Biaz-Gil, 48, of Lawrence, Mass., in connection with an alleged drug trafficking operation that police say also included Cruz- Rodriguez’s twin sister and a second man, Escolastico Suero, 45, also of Lawrence, Mass.

Police took custody of Biaz- Gil at the Lawrence District Court on Thursday, Dec. 4 after he waived extradition to Salem, where he faces a charge of conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute. Wanted in Wisconsin as well, Biaz-Gil is being held without bail.

Apprehended by authorities on Tuesday, Dec. 2, Suero was also charged with conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute. He is being held in the Rockingham County jail on a $100,000 cash bail.

The arrests came after Cruz- Rodriguez’s death triggered a joint investigation between Salem and Lawrence, Mass., authorities, the Massachusetts State Police Fugitive/Auto Theft Task Force, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Agency.

According to Salem police Capt. Shawn Patten, the twin sisters landed at Logan International Airport in Boston on Tuesday, Nov. 25, after ingesting about $100,000 in prepackaged cocaine each. Though still awaiting the official results of Mally Cruz-Rodriguez’s autopsy, police believe she died the next morning as a direct result of the drugs in her system.

Police said her twin sister, Nelly Cruz-Rodriguez, was rushed to Parkland Medical Center and underwent emergency surgery after authorities determined that she had also ingested a large amount of cocaine.

Arraigned at her hospital bed on Friday, Nov. 28, Cruz-Rodriguez is being held on a $100,000 cash bail. Police have charged her with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

While Patten said the extent of the drug smuggling operation is not yet known, police have identified more suspects in the trafficking ring who may have been able to get the drugs out of their system and have obtained arrest warrants for several of them.

The cocaine may have been intended for distribution in southern New Hampshire or across the border in Lawrence, according to police.

Three Lawrence men arrested following a drug sting at a local hotel at about 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4, are not connected to the cocaine trafficking operation, Patten said. Starlin Perez, 24, Felix Gomez, 28 and Mike Rivera, 19, were charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled drug, sale of a controlled drug and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, respectively, after detectives investigated reports of drug sales in the area. All three men were held on $25,000 cash bail pending their arraignment.

Police seized six grams of crack cocaine, $1,800 in cash and a vehicle during the sting operation.

Crash kills Salem man

Salem Editor — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 23:16:00 GMT

BY JIM DEVINE

SALEM – An alleged drunk driver was killed last Monday after a head-on collision on Lake Street ended a series of accidents that police said he caused across town.

Police believe drugs or alcohol may be a contributing factor to the three accidents involving Kenneth Callahan, 41, of 7 Meridian Drive, Salem, shortly before 4:50 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 25.

Though no serious injuries resulted from the first two accidents on South Policy Street and at the intersection of Routes 111 and 28, respectively, the third accident killed Callahan when his late-model Toyota pickup struck another car driven by Steve Ouellet of Raymond head on.

The first accident was first reported to police by Rueben Agosto of Lowell, Mass., when Callahan’s pickup struck his car from behind while traveling north on South Policy Street. Instead of stopping, Callahan left the scene of the accident and continued north, while Agosto followed the pickup truck, calling police dispatch on his cellular phone to provide them with the direction of travel.

“It all happened pretty quickly,” said police Lt. Kristin Fili. “We’re not certain of the entire route taken at this time.”

Minutes later, according to police, Callahan struck another car driven by Brenden Lareau of Hampstead at a five-way intersection of Route 28 and Range Road before continuing down Lake Street.

Police said the pickup truck was traveling erratically while hitting snow banks on both sides of the roadway.

While approaching the intersection of Bluff Street, Callahan’s truck crossed the centerline and struck another car driven by Ouellet, who had his 9-year-old son in the passenger seat.

Ouellet and his son were both transported to Parkland Medical Center with minor injuries, while Callahan suffered critical injuries, police said. Callahan was transported to Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, Mass., where he was later pronounced dead.

Both Agosto and Lareau were not seriously hurt in the prior accidents, police said.

The department’s accident reconstruction team is currently investigating the accident.

Man pleads guilty in cocaine case

Salem Editor — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 17:02:00 GMT

BY MATT HERSH

A Lynn, Mass., man arrested in Salem last August after being caught with 16 pounds of cocaine could be facing life in prison.

Juan Castillo, 41, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on Friday, March 23, to possession with intent to distribute. He is being held without bail, awaiting his sentencing on June 21.

Salem police pulled Castillo over in August after he sped through a red light on Rockingham Boulevard, according to court documents. Detective Mark Sambotaro smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the car.

“The officer said the driver seemed to be nervous, but he consented to a search of his vehicle,” according to Salem Police Capt. William Ganley.

A search conducted with the help of two state troopers and a drug-sniffing dog revealed more than $1 million worth of drugs stored in a secret compartment in the trunk of Castillo’s 1996 Audi A6.

Castillo will have to serve, at minimum, a mandatory 10 years in federal prison due to the large quantity of drugs he was transporting at the time of his arrest.

Salem police officials said the bust was one of the largest in town history. Typically, busts of this magnitude are made after months of investigation, Ganley said.

“It was definitely the biggest hit and the largest amount of drugs we’ve ever recovered during a traffic stop,” Ganley said. “Sometimes you’re in the right place at the right time.”

Man arrested in crack sting

Salem Editor — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:39:00 GMT

BY MATT HERSH

A Lawrence, Mass., man was arrested at a motel in Salem after trying to sell crack cocaine to an undercover officer.

Jesus Rivera, 24, of 274 Broadway, Apt. 2, was arrested by Salem detectives at about 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23 at a local motel, according to court documents.

Police seized 42 small bags of heroin and 26 vials of crack cocaine from Rivera.

Rivera had gone to the motel to meet who he thought was a customer when three detectives confronted him inside a rented room.

When he realized what was happening, Rivera tried to swallow some of the crack cocaine before police searched him and found more drugs under his clothes, an affidavit said.

Rivera later revealed to police that he had about 20 customers from Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire.

In a typical month, Rivera would make between $2,000 and $3,000 selling drugs.

He would buy two ounces of cocaine and cook it into crack before selling, the affidavit said.

Salem police were led to Rivera by a tip from Derry police.

Rivera faces two felony counts of possession of a controlled drug with intent to distribute.

He is currently being held on $250,000 bail at Rockingham County Jail.

Rivera has a prior criminal record in Massachusetts which includes assault with a dangerous weapon, drug distribution, drug possession and armed assault in a dwelling, police said.

SHS student charged in pot bust

Salem Editor — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:31:00 GMT

BY MATT HERSH

A Salem High School senior has been charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Matthew Kelly, 17, was arrested on Wednesday, Feb. 21, after school administrators received a tip that he was in possession of a large quantity of the drug.

Together with the school’s resource officer, Matt Norcross, administrators located the student in the parking lot where they detected an odor of marijuana, according to Salem Deputy Police Chief Robert Larsen.

A search of Kelley revealed an amount larger than an ounce which police said was more than for personal use.

Superintendent Michael Delahanty said another student was with Kelley at the time but was not charged with a crime.

Kelley was then arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute.

Since the drugs were found on school property, Larsen said Kelley could face enhanced penalties.

If convicted, he could face up to 14 years in prison and a $200,000 fine. A similar charge in a non-school zone would only carry a seven-year prison term and a $1,000 fine.

“They take that kind of stuff very seriously,” Larsen said of the penalties.

Kelley has been suspended from school while administrators determine what further actions should be taken.

“Our policy requires a significant suspension and then more review,” Delahanty said. “It’s likely going to be the recommendation that he won’t be a student at the high school anymore.”

Though Salem High School has had its share of minor drug incidents in the past, Delahanty said this is the first time he’s seen a student arrested for intent to distribute.

Currently, Kelley is out on bail while police finish their investigation. His arraignment is scheduled for March 26, Larsen said.