Massachusetts Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

A former hockey star is facing Massachusetts breaking and entering charges after being accused of breaking into homes in Whitman, the Patriot Ledger reported.

Joshua Robertson, 25, is accused of stealing jewelry and other belongings from his neighbors during four home burglaries over a nine-day span, according to Whitman police. A detective said that Robertson admitted to the burglaries as a means of supporting a heroin habit.

At 18, Robertson was drafted by the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals while still in high school.

A Brockton criminal defense lawyer experienced in defending clients against drug and burglary charges can frequently negotiate a sentence of treatment instead of jail or prison time. In such cases, authorities need to recognize the addiction as a medical condition, not a behavior that can be corrected with time behind bars.

The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that more than one-fourth of defendants in local jails for property crimes committed the crimes to support a drug habit. For those in state prisons, the numbers rise above 30 percent.

Robertson was already serving six-months of probation for a domestic altercation that occurred with his father in March after he was ordered to leave the house. the Patriot Ledger reported.

He was selected by the Capitals after a high-school season in which he scored 37 goals in 34 games. He then then attended Northeastern University on a hockey scholarship but missed half of the 2005-2006 season after suffering a concussion.

Robertson posted $500 bail in Brockton District Court and is due back in court on Sept. 21. The court ordered him to undergo drug testing and obey an 8 p.m. curfew.

Continue reading "Whitman burglary charges result from former hockey standout's alleged heroin habit" »

More that 30 people are facing Massachusetts drug charges in Taunton and the surrounding areas after a three-day sweep at week's end, the Taunton Gazette reported.

The raids began on Wednesday and the Bristol County District Attorney's Office expected the arrests to continue through Friday as authorities targeted alleged heroine and crack cocaine dealers and customers. Dubbed Operation Diesel, more than 30 arrest warrants were being executed, according to the Massachusetts State Police.

A Taunton criminal defense lawyer should always be consulted in cases where a defendant is charged as part of such large-scale drug raids. Police and prosecutors love to make big announcements. But frequently such cases are not very strong and prosecutors are forced to quietly reduce or dismiss charges long after the television cameras have been turned off. Defendants should not make any statements until speaking to a Massachusetts defense lawyer experienced in handling drug charges. Evidence can be challenged. The results of search warrants can sometimes be kept out of court. But a defendant's statements can be the most damaging evidence in cases where a suspect fails to remain silent and wait for the assistance of an experienced attorney.

Defendants were being arraigned in Taunton District Court and Fall River Superior Court. At least 18 people were arrested on warrants on Wednesday. Defendants ranged in age from 17 to 50.

Most of the arrested were for charges alleged in arrest warrants, but authorities report making at least one undercover drug buy. State troopers and Taunton police said they initiated a buy on the grounds of the Riverside Apartments on Paul Bunker Drive. Authorities say an undercover officer was led to nearby Harrison Street, where occupants of a Chrysler van allegedly sold him crack cocaine.

Four people were arrested after the van was followed to a nearby convenience store.

Continue reading "Dozens arrested on Massachusetts drug charges in Taunton and Fall River" »

Massachusetts drug charges were brought out of the Stoughton district court as a result of a citizen tip. Ceclia Reilly according to the Brockton Enterprise was arraigned on the charge of possession of a Class A drug subsequent offense.

Reilly was stopped by police based on a tip that she was injecting herself in a parking lot in Brockton. If the tip is the sole basis for the stop, a Massachusetts criminal defense lawyer would want to challenge the stop as being in violation of the 4th Amendment. This would occur at a motion to suppress hearing where the police will have to establish that the tip was sufficiently detailed and reliable to provide reasonable suspicion to make a motor vehicle stop.

Continue reading "Massachusetts drug charges brought in Stoughton district court as a result of a citizen tip" »

A 54-year-old Milton man who was imprisoned as a major area drug supplier three decades ago, has been arrested and faces Massachusetts drug distribution charges for allegedly selling a pound of marijuana in Quincy, the Patriot Ledger reported.

Bradley St. George was arrested by the Quincy Police Department's drug unit after an alleged drug deal about 9 p.m. Friday. He pleaded not guilty in Quincy District Court to charges of distributing marijuana, conspiracy to violate drug laws and violating drugs laws near a school. Bail was set at $5,000 and the next court hearing was scheduled for July 15. Massachusetts drug charges are enhanced if a sale or other drug violation occurs near a school. The law mandates a 2-year sentence when a drug offense occurs within 1,000 feet of a school zone of 100 feet of a public park.

The Patriot Ledger reports that St. George was one of 20 people arrested during a December 1981 drug sweep that netted $1 million worth of cocaine and marijuana. At the time, authorities accused the then-26-year-old as a major cocaine supplier who ran a network of drug dealers. Police in that case seized seven pounds of cocaine and $164,000 in cash. He was sentenced to 2 1/2 to 5 years in prison after pleading guilty to cocaine trafficking, according to the Patriot Ledger.

In the current case, deputies in an unmarked cruiser report witnessing a drug deal between the defendant and a 44-year-old Freetown man while parked in a car in the St. Mary's School parking lot. After the alleged transaction, police stopped both men and found a pound of marijuana on the second suspect and $1,800 and small bags of marijuana on St. George, according to the report.

The second man, Robert Fitzmaurice, 44, was charged with marijuana possession with intent to distribute, conspiracy to violate drug laws, and violating drug laws near a school. Police report a receipt in St. George's car showed a bank balance of $74,000, though he claimed to be unemployed.

St. George told the Patriot Ledger that he had been laid off and had earned and saved the money in the account.

Continue reading "Milton man faces Massachusetts drug charges in Quincy" »

Foxboro police kept busy Saturday, arresting four people in three separate incidents involving a variety of crimes, including Massachusetts drug possession and lewdness, the Sun Chronicle reported.

One arrest was at 10 a.m. on Central Street on charges of driving with a suspended license. Police allege that the suspect gave a false name to the police.

Twenty minutes later, police responded to the Comfort Inn on Fisher Street after a report of a suspicious individual. The police made two arrests for possession of a Class A drug.

Shortly after 3 p.m., police made an arrest at Patriot Place after a individual was accused of exposing himself to at least two female victims, police reported. The arrest came after police responded to a suspicious person reported in the area of the Victoria's Secret shop in the outdoor mall.

After interviewing several females, an officer arrested the defendant on charges of open and gross lewdness.

Continue reading "Massachusetts drug charges among arrests in Foxboro" »

A Boston man wanted on Massachusetts cocaine trafficking charges, is facing a variety of charges after being arrested in Attleboro, the Sun-Chronicle reported.

Santiago H. Gonzalez, 40, of Dorchester section of Boston, was arrested after a neighbor reported a suspicious man sitting in a car with the motor running. An Attleboro criminal defense attorney experienced in handling drug charges may challenge the probable cause for search and arrest in this case. Gonzalez was ordered held on $50,000 cash bail after pleading not guilty in Attleboro District Court to charges of possession of cocaine, disturbing the peace and providing a false name to police.

Gonzalez told police he waiting to pick up a friend of his girlfriend's, whom he thought lived at the address. Police say he gave them a driver's license with a different name. A woman at the residence told police he was there to look at her apartment because he was considering subletting it.

During a search, police seized $644 and a small amount of cocaine wrapped in a $1 bill.

An FBI fingerprint search at the police station identified Gonzalez and listed several warrants for his arrest, including a warrant for trafficking in more than 28 grams of cocaine.

Bail was set at $25,000 but reduced to $10,000, which he posted. He is due back in court on May 5.

Continue reading "Boston man arrested on warrants for cocaine trafficking after neighbor reports suspicious vehicle" »

A Fall River couple is facing Massachusetts drug charges after police seized more than 5,000 oxycodone and suboxone pills, The Herald News reported.

Levasseur is charged with trafficking more than 200 grams of a Class A drug, conspiracy to violate the drug laws and a drug violation in a school zone. Investigation by the D.A.'s State Police Drug Unit, ended with the execution of a search warrant at an address in the 200 block of Ames Street and on the suspect's apartment on Vale Street. Fall River police also assisted in the investigation and execution of the warrant. Authorities report that Levasseur had 4,975 30 mg oxycodone pills on his person. Inside the defendants' apartment, police seized 30 Suboxone pills and more than $13,000 in cash.

Both drugs are prescription medications. Oxycodone is a painkiller known to cause physical and psychological dependence. Suboxone is used to treat opiate addiction.

Continue reading "Fall River man faces Massachusetts drug distribution charges after police raid seizes prescription drugs" »

An 18-year-old East Bridgewater resident with a history of run-ins with police now faces drug charges, on top of vandalism charges that were brought against him only a week earlier. According to the Quincy Patriot-Ledger, the East Bridgewater school resource officer was patrolling the school parking lot when he saw what appeared to be evidence of marijuana in Gershom Grossman's car. Grossman, a student at the high school, was summoned to the vehicle after School Resource Officer Mark Harvey notified school officials and brought Detective Michael Jenkins to the scene. As an Brockton, Massachusetts drug possession criminal defense attorney, I was very interested in the Patriot-Ledger's description of how police handled this situation.

Harvey said that they questioned Grossman about a pipe and what looked like marijuana seeds in the car. Harvey said that Grossman admitted to smoking pot before school and said that there was more pot in his car. He gave police permission to search his car and directed them to look in the glove box to find the marijuana. Grossman was arrested on the spot for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana in a school zone, and theft of a book from the school library. As a Quincy drug crimes defense lawyer, I note that conviction on the charge of possession of marijuana in a school zone carries mandatory minimum sentencing of two years' jail time.

According to the Boston Globe, Grossman has been described by police as being unable to "stay out of trouble" and continuing "to be involved in increasingly more destructive behavior." While Grossman does not have a criminal record, he had been a "frequent nuisance in town," said the Globe, and had been involved in larcenies, shoplifting, and malicious destruction of property incidents. When he was arrested on marijuana charges, Grossman was already facing charges of malicious damage to a motor vehicle and using a motor vehicle without authority, brought only a week earlier. According to the Boston Globe, Grossman was one of four teenagers arrested for vandalizing a house and causing $45,000 worth of damage while the house's owners were on vacation in Europe.

The Globe reported that Grossman's parents had resolved the earlier incidents in which Grossman had been involved. But for the marijuana charges, Grossman would be wise to seek a Massachusetts drug possession attorney like Michael DelSignore, who has a record of success in getting drug possession cases dismissed. The penalties for conviction on the charges that Grossman faces are too serious to take a chance on. In addition to two years for possession in a school zone, Grossman faces another 2.5 years for possession with intent to distribute. However, "intent to distribute" is difficult to prove and often charged on the basis of details like how the drug was packaged. An experienced Massachusetts drug possession defense attorney can often use this weakness to negotiate the charge down to simple possession, which drops it from a felony to a misdemeanor. For a first possession offense involving marijuana, a conviction generally means probation, not jail.

Continue reading "High School Student Faces Massachusetts Drug Possession, School Zone Violation Charges" »

Rafael Esquilin, 30, was arrested on charges of possession of a Class B drug with intent to distribute, after police found several bags each containing about six grams of cocaine on his person reports the Dedham Transcript.

Dedham police had been conducting surveillance of an admitted drug user prior to Esquilin's arrest. When the resident of the home and Esquilin were spotted in the driveway making what looked to the police to be some sort of exchange while seated in Esquilin's car, the police investigated further only to find that Esquilin had failed to have his vehicle inspected.

The lack of a proper vehicle inspection sticker is what gave the police reason to stop Esquilin; police cannot, without more, act solely on a hunch that a drug transaction has taken place. In these types of cases, where police allege that they observed a drug transaction, an experienced Massachusetts criminal defense attorney will often file a motion to suppress, arguing that there was not probable cause or reasonable suspicion to seize the defendant.

Esquilin pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Dedham District Court on the drug charge as well as charges of driving with a revoked license and driving with no inspection sticker.

Attorney Michael DelSignore is a Massachusetts criminal defense lawyer, defending individuals charged with criminal offenses throughout the Commonwealth. Call (508) 455-4755 now for a free consultation or send an email.

Acting on anonymous tips about frequent comings and goings at a Hough's Neck house supplied by neighbors, Quincy police made three arrests of suspected drug dealers. All three are believed to operate independently of one another. After two months of surveillance, drug unit detectives collected enough information to apply for warrants and searched the men's homes. The charges following from the searches conducted under these warrants include possession of illegal drugs with intent to distribute. The Quincy Patriot Ledger's report does not specify the basis for the warrants other than that "people in Hough's Neck reported frequent comings and goings" at the homes of two of the men. This leaves me wondering, as a Quincy narcotics crimes defense lawyer, what the police and the neighbors actually saw, and what they assumed, about the men's activities.

With the warrants they obtained, police first searched the apartment of Marco Rose, 26, and arrested him on charges of possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, as well as marijuana possession. After pleading innocent at his arraignment in Quincy District Court, he was released without bail and is to appear in court again on April 23. Police also searched the apartment of John DeFranco, 25, found heroin and arrested him on charges of possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Like Rose, he pleaded innocent, was released without bail and is due back in court on April 23. Then, police searched the home of John Wittekind, 55, and arrested him on charges of trafficking in heroin, Percocet, oxycodone and Viagra. The news report does not give any information about his arraignment.

The news report also does not provide information about how or where the drugs were found in the men's homes, but as a Massachusetts drug crimes criminal defense attorney, I have seen enough drug offense cases to know that people charged with these crimes can still be found not guilty of them in court. I would ask a lot of questions about the warrants: Was there really probable cause for the police to believe that they would find drugs or drug paraphernalia in the men's homes? Could they imagine no other reason that there might be a lot of people coming and going, besides drug dealing? And the police relied on anonymous tips from neighbors to zero in on the men in the first place. Informants have to be considered reliable and trustworthy in order for the information they supply to serve as the basis for a warrant. Tips from anonymous neighbors are far from reliable; neighbors may have personal grudges that have nothing to do with drugs, or may not be neighbors at all. Additionally, I would ask a lot of questions about how police decided that the men had intent to distribute. Many times, law enforcement assumes the intent based solely on the amount of drug found, regardless of whether there is any evidence of sales.

If the Commonwealth of Massachusetts cannot answer these questions satisfactorily, an experienced Massachusetts drug crimes defense attorney may be able to undermine the case against the defendant. If the warrants were obtained without sufficient probable cause, all evidence found in the searches could be suppressed. Ths is important, because anyone in a situation like the one Rose, DeFranco, and Wittekind find themselves in is facing years in prison, possibly decades. Defendants in this situation need a Quincy drug crimes attorney who knows what questions to ask and how to respond to the answers.

Continue reading "Quincy Police Arrest Three on Massachusetts Drug Charges" »

A 35-year-old Dorchester man is facing Massachusetts drug charges and serious driving violations in Framingham District Court after being arrested by Framingham police on Sunday night.

This case involves a Massachusetts search warrant and charges the defendant as a repeat drug offender. A Massachusetts defense lawyer experienced in search and seizure laws and drug violations should be called to represent the defendant in Framingham District Court.

The Metro Daily News reported the defendant managed to evade several pursuing police cars in Natick but was later captured by Framingham police after his car ran out of gas.

He was arrested about 8:45 p.m. on Pamela Road in Framingham, more than two hours after Natick police first attempted to pull him over on Route 9, according to authorities. Police reported they had a search warrant for the defendant's Chrysler as part of a drug investigation.

An officer spotted his car and attempted to make a traffic stop, but police report that the defendant drove through seven red lights and around several police cars -- at one point, traveling the wrong way on Route 9 near Natick Collection. Police lost the car on Concord Street in Framingham after a four-mile chase.

Framingham police reported finding the car and the defendant in the Temple Beth Shalom parking lot on Pamela Road, where it had run out of gas.

The defendant was charged with distributing cocaine, a subsequent offense, driving with a license that was revoked for being a habitual offender, failing to stop for police and driving to endanger.

The case is under investigation and it is not known whether drugs were found in the car. The defendant was released after posting $1,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in Framingham District Court.

Continue reading "Dorchester man faces Massachusetts drug charges in Framingham District Court" »

A Brockton firefighter is facing a Massachusetts larceny charge for allegedly stealing money from a superior in order to buy drugs, the Brockton Enterprise reported.

A Brockton criminal defense attorney should be called to represent anyone facing theft or drug charges in Brockton District Court. As this case illustrates, fighting such charges can be a critical step to protecting your job and future ability to obtain employment.

In this case, the defendant is accused of stealing $120 from a lieutenant's locker at the North Cary Street station as fellow firefighters responded to a fire-alarm box and Ames and Intervale streets. The firefighter has since entered a drug treatment program, where he continues to receive treatment, according to court records.

The 26-year-old Brockton resident is scheduled to be in Brockton District Court on March 22, for a pretrial hearing. He faces charges of larceny, a Massachusetts drug possession charge (Class E substance -- Suboxone) and pulling a false fire alarm.

The fire chief reported that the defendant has been a firefighter for about 12 years and is officially on vacation, though he wouldn't discuss possible sanctions. He earned $78,346 last year as a firefighter.

The defendant reportedly admitted he had a drug problem when confronted by the lieutenant about the missing money. He said he was addicted to the prescription drug Suboxone, a drug used to treat opiate addiction, and had resorted to buying it on the street, according to the police report.

Continue reading "Firefighter faces Massachusetts theft charge, drug charge, in Brockton District Court" »

A man is facing a slew of criminal charges in Taunton, including assault and Massachusetts drug charges, after police say he led them on a car chase Sunday afternoon, the Taunton Daily Gazette reported.

A Taunton, Massachusetts defense lawyer should be contacted to represent anyone facing serious driving charges or other criminal violations in Taunton District Court. In this case, law enforcement piled on about a dozen serious criminal charges in response to the defendant's reported attempts to flee.

Police accuse the man of stealing a license plate for his girlfriend's car so we could drive the vehicle after its registration had been revoked.

The 36-year-old defendant was spotted about 3:15 p.m. Sunday afternoon, sparking a chase through Hart's Four Corners after police attempted to stop the Honda Civic with stolen plates.

Police report the driver drove over yellow lines passing cars, ran a red light and almost crashed after hitting railroad tracks at high speed. He later fled on foot and attempted to scale a fence.

During a search of the defendant and the vehicle, police reported finding marijuana, prescription medication, heroin and drug paraphernalia.

The defendant was charged with failing to stop for police, driving a vehicle with stolen plates, driving to endanger, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a car), possession of a class D drug with intent to distribute, possession of a class A drug, resisting arrest, operating after having his license revoked, driving an uninsured vehicle and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

The Daily Gazette reported the man also had outstanding warrants, charging him with receiving stolen property, larceny of more than $250 and larceny of less than $250.

Continue reading "Massachusetts drug charges in Taunton District Court after alleged pursuit " »

A 45-year-old former Burlington police officer has been arrested on Massachusetts drug charges for allegedly helping his son run a drug-distribution ring in Burlington, the Boston Globe reported.

A Burlington criminal defense lawyer,experienced in defending clients facing drug charges in Woburn District Court, should represent anyone facing serious drug charges in Massachusetts.

A total of seven defendants, including the former officer, who retired in 2002, and his 26-year-old son, face a series of Massachusetts drug charges, including drug trafficking, conspiracy and drug possession with intent to distribute.

The suspects are from Waltham, Stoneham, Wakefield, Woburn and Burlington and were arraigned and ordered held on cash bail in amounts ranging from $750 to $10,000.

Prosecutors describe the officer's son as the alleged ring leader of a drug distribution ring, the Globe reported.

The seven defendants were identified after detectives tapped phone lines they believed were being used as part of a large-scale heroin ring in Middlesex County.

Continue reading "Former Burlington police offier faces Massachusetts drug trafficking charges " »

Two teens and a young male defendant are facing Massachusetts drug charges and weapon's charges in Milford District Court.

Police arrested the trio in separate drug raids last week; one of the suspects reportedly fired a pellet gun at detectives as he tried to flee, the Milford Daily News reported.

The men, ages 17, 19, and 22, were all held on bail following arraignment. An electric stun gun and prescription painkillers were among the items seized by police.

The 19-year-old man allegedly offered crack cocaine to an undercover detective. When police identified themselves, he reportedly pulled a gun from his pants and started shooting at detectives while running away. The gun turned out to be a fake and shot only plastic bullets.

The defendant was charged with possession of cocaine, distribution of cocaine and assault with a dangerous weapon. he was arraigned in Milford District Court and held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing.

The other two defendants were arrested without incident in a separate bust, after police reported seeing a drug deal at Countryside Liquors on Central Street. Police confiscated Percocet, an electric stun gun and about $1,300 in cash.

The 17-year-old teen was charged with drug distribution and conspiracy to violate drug laws. He was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail following his arraignment.

The 22-year-old was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, possession of an electronic weapon, possession of Percocet and conspiracy to violate drug law. Police say he also is wanted on two out-of-town warrants and was held on $2,500 cash bail following arraignment.

Continue reading "Massachusetts trio facing drug and gun charges in Milford District Court" »