Salem Observer : crime

Salem deputy chief assaulted

Salem Editor — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:50:00 GMT

A disorderly patron allegedly struck a deputy police chief inside the Poker Room at the Rockingham Park racetrack after management asked him to leave at about 10:15 p.m. on Sept. 23.

According to police, 30- year-old Christopher McNeil of Danvers, Mass., refused to comply with racetrack management, and when Deputy Police Chief William Ganley, on detail in the Poker Room that night, stepped in, McNeil began punching him in the face.

Police said Ganley used his Taser to subdue McNeil and take him into custody. Left uninjured from the assault, authorities said Ganley was able to finish out the rest of his detail without medical attention.

According to Capt. Shawn Patten, the racetrack regularly pays for a police detail, which keeps problems at a minimum. While officers report the occasional trouble at the racetrack, Patten said incidents like McNeil’s assault on Ganley were the exception, not the rule.

McNeil has been charged with simple assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and criminal threatening. He was released on $500 cash bail pending arraignment at Salem District Court.

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.

Booze on Salem High School grounds; Nine arrested

Salem Editor — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:39:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

Nine high school students from two communities were taken into police custody on alcohol-related charges for allegedly drinking before a school dance on Sept. 26.

Police said school administrators contacted the authorities after questioning the students who displayed “obvious signs of impairment” as they made their way into the Salem High School Freshmen Reception between 7 and 9 p.m.

Authorities believe the students had been drinking in the school parking lot and tried to sneak some of the liquor into the event using water bottles. Several bottles of alcohol, including rum, were recovered in three of the students’ vehicles, prompting authorities to tow the vehicles, according to Capt. Shawn Patten.

Three other students were taken into custody, but did not face charges after officers administered blood alcohol tests.

Patten said the police department has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to underage drinking, to which he attributed the low number of similar incidents in the past.

“Salem High School administrators and the (school resource) officers ... work together to try and prevent these things from happening,” he said. “We do a good job, and we don’t see a lot of those problems. Like any other community, it happens, but we’re not overridden with it.”

Superintendent Michael Delahanty said that while the alleged behavior on the part of the students taken into custody was unfortunate, it was not uncommon when several hundred adolescents come together under one roof.

“There were about 800 or 900 students in attendance and one of the things that I’ve said regularly and repeatedly, you can’t go to too many places and have that number of adolescents in one big room and not have problems unless there is a tremendous amount of respect for the school and the culture of the school,” he said.

“There was no improper behavior during the dance, it was just the misfortune of several students ... who had been drinking some type of alcohol before getting to the dance.”

Delahanty praised the actions of school administrators on the scene who promptly brought in the authorities after suspecting alcohol-use among some of the students. He said they acted without hesitation even as they knew the incident would bring bad publicity upon the school.

According to Delahanty, the freshmen reception has been an annual fundraising event for the senior class over the last 15 or so years and generally includes a series of short skits or performances before becoming a dance. Students caught consuming alcohol or any other illegal substance before or during a school event face automatic consequences.

Each of the students will serve school suspensions of varying lengths, he said. Emily Anyon, 17, Elanor Bouraphael, 17, Samir Ramey, 17 and David Welch, 17, all of Salem, are facing unlawful possession of alcohol charges, along with Kimberly Foote, 17, Kina Wilbur Kamien, 18, and Justin Shepley, 18, all of Windham. Kamien was also charged with transportation of alcoholic beverages along with Christine Hill, 17, and Brad Morisseau, both of Salem.

All of the students were released into the custody of their parents either at the school or at the police station, authorities said.

Salem father with chainsaw and son arrested after scuffle with police

Salem Editor — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:21:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

A local father and son were taken into custody on Thursday, April 23, after a domestic dispute escalated into a chainsaw standoff on Woodland Avenue, according to authorities.

Police said Jake Wells, 32, told officers over the phone that his 53-year-old father, John Wells, was outside of his residence, trying to get in and threatening him with a chainsaw at about 12:10 a.m.

Upon arrival,officers described finding an “angry” subject standing on the front porch wielding a running chainsaw.

The older Wells allegedly ignored instructions by police to drop the chainsaw until officers drew their weapons and a Taser. Police said Wells put down the saw after lengthy and heated negotiations and continued to be combative as officers took him into custody.

While officers were struggling with the older Wells, police said the son came at officers, forcing them to defend themselves against him as well. Both men were eventually taken into custody.

Police charged the father with reckless conduct, criminal threatening and resisting arrest and released him on $10,000 personal recognizance bail pending his arraignment at Salem District Court on the condition he stay away from the Woodland Avenue residence.

The younger Wells is facing charges of hindering apprehension and resisting arrest and was released with a court summons.

Mass. man wanted for Salem credit card theft

Salem Editor — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:08:00 GMT

A warrant has been issued by Salem police for the suspect in the theft of credit cards from a local gym.

Wanted on a felony arrest warrant is Richard Woods, 48, of Charlestown, Mass., in connection with the theft and subsequent use of credit cards on Jan. 10 in Salem.

Woods and an accomplice were observed on video surveillance at both The Workout Club and Best Buy in Salem. The suspect stole credit cards from the locker room of the gym and then went on a shopping spree at Best Buy and the Apple Store, charging nearly $6,000 on various electronics.

Salem police credit two of the businesses for their efforts and cooperation during the investigation. Police said the media outlets who played footage of the theft and shopping spree were helpful, as well. This cooperation and video footage resulted in numerous tips identifying the suspect, ultimately leading to his positive identification and charges being sought.

Salem detectives are currently working with law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts to locate and take Woods into custody.

Man swallows drugs during Salem police stop

Salem Editor — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:42:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

Police Tasered a Gonic man after he allegedly swallowed a packet of drugs and fought with officers during a vehicle stop on Route 28.

Casey Jones, 32, has been charged with false reports, resisting arrest, assault on a police officer and tampering with evidence after authorities stopped the vehicle – containing two other adult female passengers and two children under the age of 3 – for operating under a suspended registration at about 11:17 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 5.

Police said they became suspicious when the driver and the front seat passenger provided false information, and a subsequent investigation of the vehicle allegedly yielded over a dozen hypodermic needles.

One of the passengers also told officers that they had just picked up heroin in Lawrence, Mass., according to the authorities.

Police said that Jones swallowed a packet of drugs after officers began speaking with him outside of his vehicle. Officers were unable to retrieve the drugs despite repeated attempts during the ensuing struggle, according to the authorities.

Jones, taken into custody after being Tasered, may face child endangerment charges along with the other two adult occupants of the vehicle, police said.

Jones was held on a $5,000 cash bail pending his arraignment, authorities said.

Salem police gun and Taser stolen

Salem Editor — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:09:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

With authorities on the search for a stolen firearm, Taser and pepper spray, a veteran officer is facing disciplinary action after leaving his duty belt in the back seat of his unlocked personal vehicle.

Authorities would not release the officer’s name pending an internal investigation, but said the officer had breached a serious violation of department policy by leaving his full duty belt unattended in his private vehicle.

“There is no one who feels worse about this than the officer who had the items being stolen,” said Capt. Shawn Patten. “We’re a professional organization and we pride ourselves in integrity and accountability and depending on where the investigation takes us, the officer is facing some harsh consequences for a serious violation.”

Police said the equipment was stolen sometime between Nov. 16 and Nov. 17 outside the officer’s Windham residence. Authorities in that neighboring town have launched a second criminal investigation into the theft in cooperation with detectives in Salem and in nearby Derry.

Police officers in Salem have a locker inside the department to store their equipment and a gunlock for their firearms, according to Patten. He would not specify what disciplinary actions may be taken against the officer following the internal investigation, but said it would be on par with the violation of the department’s policy.

Without any leads or suspects at this time, Windham Police Chief Gerald Lewis said recovering the officer’s weapon may turn out to be a difficult case for the department.

“It’s all dependent on the individual or individuals who took it, how old they are and what their intentions are,” Lewis said. “It could be someone who took it at the time and has it hidden away and they don’t know what to do with it or someone has it and now they’re afraid to come forward because of the repercussions. It’s an open book right now.”

Law enforcement officials are asking anyone with more information to contact the police department at 434-5577. According to Lewis, residents who may have witnessed something suspicious – like an individual hanging around vehicles late at night – often fail to report the information until after the investigation is finished.

Lewis said communities across the country were dealing with similar crimes, with thieves stealing computers, GPS devices and PDAs from inside parked vehicles. With similar incidents in nearby Derry, Lewis said he believed the theft was “a crime of opportunity” and that the officer or his equipment had not been individually targeted.

Recovering the officer’s firearm remains the top priority for law enforcement officials in all three towns. Lewis has also advised his officers to exercise caution while responding to calls in the area of the crime scene, which police would not disclose.

“It may not necessarily be a crime of violence that they respond to. Potentially anything we respond to we many have someone who is in possession of a firearm,” Lewis said.

Ice storm 2008 - Salem & Windham

Salem Editor — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:46:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

People are still dealing with the aftermath of the ice storm that left a good portion of the state without electricity and heat. Power companies are working as quickly as possible to restore power, bringing in crews from other states, but thousands remain disconnected.

Gov. John Lynch declared a state of emergency after more than 325,000 New Hampshire residents were left without power following the storm many officials say was worse than the one in 1998.

“It goes without saying that we lost power to a significant number of homes.” said Salem police Capt. Shawn Patten. “We also had significant damage to homes, vehicles and power lines. It’s taken days of cleanup to get the town into working order.”

Windham Fire Chief Tom McPherson said his department has been working around the clock. “The impact was the same as it’s been all over the state. It taxed our manpower,” he said. “Our concern was for the elderly population, making sure they’re safe.”

McPherson said the department transported several residents suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning from improper use of generators, although no deaths in the Salem area had been reported as of press time.

“It’s as significant if not more than 1998. It’s the worst I’ve seen it,” said McPherson. “Just the impact that it had on the community from a resident as well as public safety – it’s something I haven’t seen in a while.”

Transportation was also adversely affected in much of the state.

“From the police perspective, the issues are more traffic related – getting in and out of neighborhoods safely with downed lines and such,” said Windham Police Chief Gerald Lewis. “Fortunately, we haven’t had any crimes related to this.”

All towns hit, some more than others
“I’ve been with the department for 16 years, and this is the most I’ve seen with power outages and other things,” said Weare Police Lt. James Carney. “Although there was more ice on the road (in 1998), I just don’t remember this many trees down and this many people in the dark.”

Weare was one of the towns hit hardest by the storm, with about 75 percent of the town without power, according to Carney. As of Monday, Dec. 15, several hundred residents were still in the dark.

Disaster was averted when a local TV news team arrived in Weare to do a story on the damage, as the cameraman setting up and several members of the Police Department dodged a tree that began falling in their direction.

In Goffstown, 1,800 residents still had no power as of Monday, Dec. 15. Police Chief Patrick Sullivan said that number was at about 4,600 at the storm’s peak.

“The worst part is the inconvenience for all the people,” said Sullivan.“We certainly appreciate their patience, that’s for sure.”

One police lieutenant in the Goffstown department had to leave his post at the Emergency Operation Center after finding out his home was on fire. The blaze left a hole in the the side of his house, and leaving it uninhabitable.

Several roads were closed in Goffstown, but nearly every one was open by the beginning of the week, with the exception of Shirley Hill Road.

Another town thumped by the ice storm was New Boston. According to Police Chief Chris Krajenka, at one point only one road was open in town – Route 12N to Goffstown.

“It was scary out there,” said Krajenka. “Snapping trees, falling limbs – some of the sounds were God-awful.”

Some towns did have to deal with crime during the storm. Auburn Police Chief Edward Picard said his department received a call during the power outage about an attempted break-in.

The call came at 3 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 14, but Picard said his department hasn’t been faced with the theft of generators that he has been told is happening in surrounding towns.

“People have to go all the way to Connecticut to purchase generators,” said Picard. “The bad guys are using this emergency to their advantage.”

As of Tuesday, Dec. 16, about 50 percent of Auburn was in the dark, compared to what Picard estimated to be about 90 percent at the storm’s height.

Despite the negative effects, Picard said there was a positive aspect of the storm.

“I’m proud of the way that the town has responded to helping their neighbors who don’t have power,” said Picard. “There were private residents going around with their generators, and that’s the character of Auburn.”

The use of generators and personal heaters made for busy days and nights for the Hooksett Fire Department, according to Chief Michael Williams.

“We were extremely busy responding to over 60 electrical emergency incidents in a 48-hour period,” said Williams. “We are now experiencing carbon monoxide problems due to generators operating in garages and kerosene heater operating houses. Just (Monday) we responded to five carbon monoxide problems with related medical symptoms.”

Approximately half of Bedford remained in the dark as of press time, with approximately 3,500 customers still without electricity, and Police Chief David Bailey said reaching those residents has been difficult.

“The people you want to get the message to don’t get the power. So we put fliers in the restaurants, supermarkets and such to tell them what we have to offer,” said Bailey. “People may not have power until Friday in a lot of places. It isn’t just Bedford, it’s the whole southern tier of the state, and there are people a lot worse than us. They’re spread so thin, and they’re doing as much as they can.”

Officials opened a shelter at Bedford High School, but were running the school on generator power at the beginning of the outage.

For Bailey, the most difficult aspect of the storm’s repercussions is not knowing.

“When exactly their power is coming on, that’s not up to us. If it comes on sooner than the end of the week, you’re pleasantly surprised,” Bailey said. “Public services doesn’t want to make promises they can’t keep.”

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.

Man arrested for arson after setting trailer on fire in Salem

Salem Editor — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:01:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

The arrest of a Massachusetts man over an alleged stolen car stereo led to the discovery of a potentially life-threatening arson attempt in a trailer park, police said.

Police charged Robert Zuill, 38, of Lawrence, Mass., with receiving stolen property, false reports and arson after officers found a car stereo hidden under Zuill’s coat at about 1 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, then went to the trailer home he said was his residence and found the place on fire.

Officers initially stopped Zuill and an unnamed woman after observing the two acting suspiciously in the vicinity of the Salem Depot. While confirming the pair’s identities, officers responded to their alleged residence at 34 Traveler’s Drive, where police said they found the trailer’s windows smashed out, smoke detectors ripped from the ceiling and a torn up phone book placed on top of an lighted stove.

Officers extinguished the fire, and damage was limited to the stove and the hood, according to authorities. Police said the landlord confirmed that the pair had moved into the home the day before.

Described as “cooperative” with authorities throughout the incident, the woman confirmed Zuill’s identity after he gave police false information and accompanied the officers to the trailer park. She told police that Zuill had caused the damage to the trailer home over the past two days.

Zuill, who also had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, is being held on a $10,000 cash bail pending his arraignment at Salem District Court.

Nude photos in Salem cause concern

Salem Editor — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:13:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

State officials are working with law enforcement and local educators to ensure that students and parents understand how to safely and responsibly use technology after graphic images of young women circulated through the high school population.

While this is the first time an incident like this has been reported in the Granite State, concern over Internet safety for students has generated a cooperative effort between the New Hampshire Department of Education and the Attorney General’s office over the last couple of years, according to Sarah Browning, assistant to the commissioner at the NHDOE.

“The Attorney General has been very proactive in working with Internet providers like Youtube and MySpace to craft agreements around safety for students,” Browning said. “The Internet can be a tremendous resource both for students and teachers in public education, but like any other technology, if it’s used properly it can be a benefit and if it’s abused it can be a detriment.”

Though Browning said that incidents like what occurred at the Salem High School on Nov. 7 – a police investigation following the discovery of three or four sexually explicit photographs of young women, one under the age of 16 – have not been reported in the Granite State before, school administrators in other parts of the country have struggled with similar problems.

In January, the dissemination of several photos of undressed young women and a video of a couple engaged in a sexual act at a Pennsylvania high school prompted local school and law enforcement officials to require students who had the images on their cell phones to delete them or face criminal prosecution for possession of child pornography.

In a similar incident in Michigan last month, local authorities began confiscating cell phones after a nude photograph taken by a 14-year-old female while she was in eighth grade circulated among about 200 high school students.

“What is the trend is that youth are now producers of media, so that a photo once passed around from one person to the next is now a photo passed by one person to a hundred or a thousand people,” said Rona Zlokower, executive director of the New Hampshire based nonprofit group Media Power Youth. “It has more ramifications, legally and for reputations, for self-esteem and for the kids involved. There’s no such thing as deleting a message and most young people don’t understand that.”

Parents need to begin talking with their children about the consequences of using new media and setting up boundaries for what is and what isn’t appropriate, Zlokower said. Just being behind a screen and putting information on the Internet or through cell phones does not make an individual anonymous, something that most children do not understand.

“It’s probably the most difficult part of parenting right now because the media technology is evolving faster than our ability to understand it and control it,” she said. “They have to see this as a regular skill in their parenting tool kit, the same way they talk about drinking and driving or wearing seat belts or how to cross the street. They have to spend as much time on media as they spend on any other aspect of parenting.”

School administrators in Salem stressed this past week that the incident is not unique to Salem and is part of regular adolescent behavior, but Zowolker believes media has distorted what teens and adolescents consider normal behavior.

“It’s quite predictable that they’re going to experiment with at-risk behaviors, but they’re going to do it in an environment where the norms of how they should behave are very different, and they’re having trouble figuring that out in that media-saturated world that they live in,” she said.

Sayde’s owners convicted on gambling charges

Salem Editor — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:58:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

The owners of Sayde’s Restaurant at 136 Cluff Crossing Road have been convicted of several misdemeanors for a video gambling operation over the span of two years beginning in 2005.

Gus and Sayde Kassis were fined $45,000 after being found guilty on one count each of gambling while possessing a liquor license and received a sentence of one year in the house of corrections.

Both the fine and the prison sentence have been suspended for one year.

The corporation was found guilty on 10 counts of gambling while possessing a liquor license, authorities said.

Money discovered in several of the video gambling machines was seized by the state, according to the Rockingham County Attorney’s office.

County Attorney Jim Reams said that because the crime had involved a financial profit, the punishment should substantial and in the same vein.

The convictions came following a two-year investigation that involved multiple state and local agencies, including the State Liquor Commission and the New Hampshire State Police Special Investigations Unit.

15 cats stored with live shell recovering

Salem Editor — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:17:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

Fifteen cats found living in a storage bin along with a live artillery shell on Monday, Oct. 6, are recuperating at the municipal animal shelter shared with the Salem Animal Rescue League.

Ray Denis, SARL director of development and shelter operations, said the town would retain control of the felines until their owner surrendered the animals. At that point SARL would take possession of the cats, move them into their regular feline shelter and begin the process of medical check-ups, neuterings and eventual adoption.

“They’re very comfortable right now and well cared for through the efforts of the town,” Denis said.

The cats are housed inside a string of pet cages lining the walls of the Salem’s animal shelter. Affixed on each cage is a sign warning shelter volunteers not to open the enclosures. Until the criminal investigation into the owner is finished, Denis said, the town is not allowing the rescue league to give input on how the cats are handled.

“If and when the case is won, they’ll be released to us,” Denis said. “It could only be short term, which would be better for them psychologically. In the meantime, they’re being well cared for.”

A Salem animal control officer discovered the cats after two customers of Uncle Bob’s Self-Storage at 134 South Policy St. reported both hearing and seeing them living in the storage unit on Saturday, Oct. 4. After an initially unsuccessful attempt to retrieve the cats over the weekend, managers at the self-storage again contacted animal control after hearing the animals crying on Monday.

According to Diane Piegza, a company spokesman, store managers then opted to perform an emergency access of the 10- by-20-foot storage unit. Sifting through what Piegza described as a “very, very full” storage unit to look for the animals, searchers were delayed when a large artillery shell was discovered instead, forcing the authorities to evacuate the facility as well as two nearby homes.

The New Hampshire State Police Bomb Squad removed the shell without incident.

With the artillery shell gone, animal control and store management resumed the search and discovered 13 cats living in the rear of the bin. While the animals had food and water available nearby, police described the conditions inside as deplorable.

According to the authorities, the cats had been living in the unit for two months without light or temperature controls.

Two more cats were discovered late Tuesday night, according to Denis.

Piegza said the number of cats inside came as a surprise to the storage facility’s management.

“We, at the time, sort of thought it got into one of the units, and we called animal control, and they came over and set traps to try and catch the kitty, thinking that however it got in, it got back out,” she said.

The case is currently under investigation by animal control. No charges have been filed.

The Salem shelter is preparing to take possession of the animals as soon as the town is ready to turn the felines over by taking steps to free up space inside their regular cat shelter. Denis said the shelter was pushing to get as many of the cats they have now adopted and out of the shelter by the time the case is concluded.

Balancing the influx of animals from this case with the animals already coming in from owners who can no longer afford their pets remains a challenge going forward, Denis said. At the moment, the cats rescued from the self-storage bin do not pose any significant strain on SARL’s shelter operations, but that could change down the road, he said.

Salem dirty house trial begins

Salem Editor — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:46:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

The trial for Michael and Maureen Bell, accused of housing their five children in an uninhabitable home, will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 15, in Salem District Court.

The Bells have been charged with five counts each of endangering the welfare of a child for keeping their children in the 31 Twinbrook Ave. home, which was found to be ridden with health code violations.

They’ve been free on personal recognizance bail since their arraignments, and their children, ages 2 through 9, have been staying with relatives.

The Bells were renting the splitlevel home for $2,000 a month for just under two years when their 2-year-old daughter was found wandering naked down Oakridge Avenue, which intersects with Twinbrook Avenue.

An Oakridge Avenue resident found the little girl on the evening of July 4 and called police, who returned her to her parents, Michael and Maureen Bell, ages 33 and 32 respectively.

When police arrived, the Bells were watching three of their own children – two of them, ages 5 and 9, were not home at the time – and three of a relative’s children. The Bells were allegedly not sure how many children were in their home, and had not seen their 2-year-old leave.

Police began investigating when they saw the condition of the home, reporting seeing spoiled food throughout the home, smelling a nauseating odor of food and trash, and finding soiled diapers strewn on the floor.

Police also reported seeing raw sewage in the sink and toilet on the second level, and ants in the kitchen. Old appliances and trash were strewn across the yard.

On July 7, Salem health inspector Brian Lockard deemed the home uninhabitable after investigating with police and representatives from the state’s Division of Youth and Family Services.

Salem health officials had already been to the house three times because of litter in the yard while the Bells were renting it, but had not been inside.

Lockard said at the time of his investigation it looked as though the house had gone neglected for more than a year.

Salem police brought charges against the Bells, who turned themselves in on July 10.

Kim Poirier of Peterborough, owner of the home, said the Bells always paid their rent on time, and although she’d received calls from Lockard about the yard’s condition, the Bells always assured her the house was being properly maintained.

Poirier and her husband, Dan Poirier, have been working to clean up the home. In August, Lockard deemed the home livable again.

Lawrence cop, from Salem, faces rape, kidnapping charges

Salem Editor — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:23:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

Pelham police arrested a Lawrence, Mass., police officer on Tuesday, Sept. 30, after Salem police asked for assistance on a well-being check for him.

The Lawrence officer, who lives in Salem, is facing serious charges related to a possible rape that allegedly took place on Friday, Sept. 26.

Kevin Sledge, 46, of Salem, is facing criminal charges out of Lawrence of rape, kidnapping and indecent assault and battery, according to Pelham police, and was considered a fugitive from justice at the time of his arrest.

Sledge allegedly left his post during a shift at the Lawrence Police Department at around 1:45 a.m., picked a woman up off the street and put her into his 2002 Jaguar. The charges stem from that incident, but few details have been released.

Capt. Shawn Patten of the Salem Police Department said a call came in on Tuesday, Sept. 30, asking for a well-being check on Sledge.

“We went to the address to conduct a check and he was not there, but we came to find out that he had left in his vehicle,” said Patten.

Salem police put out a bulletin on Sledge’s car, and a citizen responded and gave a description of the vehicle, saying it was at the Pentecostal Church on Bridge Street in Pelham.

Pelham police Lt. Gary Fisher said police caught up with Sledge at around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 30, as he attempted to leave the church, pulling him over on Bridge Street in the area of Hobbs Road.

Sledge has been in trouble with the law before, said Patten. Salem police arrested Sledge in 2005 after being accused of assault and battery by his girlfriend, whom Sledge claimed had assaulted him. For that, Sledge was placed on modified duty.

Deputy Chief Michael Driscoll of the Lawrence Police Department said Sledge has been in trouble several times during his 15-year tenure with the Lawrence police.

“He has had some issues in the past,” said Driscoll. Sledge was charged with rape in 1999, but was acquitted in court. He was on administrative leave during the court proceedings. Sledge pleaded guilty to tampering charges in 2004 in Concord District Court, and was on administrative leave for a while.

The city of Lawrence informed Sledge on Monday, Sept. 29, that he will no longer have a job with the department, Driscoll said.

“Yesterday, he was served with notice of intent to terminate by the city of Lawrence,” said Driscoll.

As of Tuesday, Sept. 30, Sledge was being held as a fugitive at the Pelham Police Department. His arraignment, where he would decide whether to be extradited back to Lawrence, was scheduled for 2 p.m. that day.