Massachusetts Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

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The defendant was charged with distributing cocaine, a subsequent offense, driving with a license that was revoked for being a habitual offender, failing to stop for police and driving to endanger.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

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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" »

A 24-year-old Raynham man is facing Massachusetts drug charges after a raid this week by the Drug Enforcement Administration and police. Authorities seized drugs and more than $100,000 in cash, according to the Brockton Enterprise.

Boston Criminal Defense Lawyer Michael DelSignore is an experienced Boston drug trafficking attorney who fights for the rights of clients facing Massachusetts drug charges in Taunton District Court as well as other serious traffic and criminal offenses.

In this case, the Sunflower Drive man was charged with possession and trafficking in oxycodone and possession and trafficking in marijuana. He was arraigned in Taunton District Court and released after posting $5,000 bail.

Authorities raided the man's home, where they found 156 pills believed to be Percocets and 42 large, heat-sealed plastic bags and two more open bags, all of them containing what is believed the be marijuana, according to The Enterprise.

Police also searched the defendant's mother's house, where they believed he was keeping money, and found three safes, one of which contained 24 bundles of money amounting to more than $100,000.

Continue reading "Massachusetts Drug trafficking charges in Taunton District court follow evidence found in drug raid" »

Two teenagers are facing drug charges after police found marijuana, cocaine and alleged drug packing materials in an Attleboro apartment, according to the Sun Chronicle.

In this case, a Massachusetts defense lawyer experienced in representing juveniles and adults for drug crimes in Attleboro District Court might challenge the legality of the search. Although the case is complicated by the presence of a wanted suspect allegedly hiding on the premises, police did not arrive with a warrant pursuant to a drug investigation.

Additionally, one of the teens faces probation violations. An experienced Attleboro probation violation attorney will need to fight those charges in addition to the current charges. Probation violations can be serious because they often result in sentences being imposed for past crimes in addition to current charges.

In this case, police were looking for a 17-year-old male wanted by the Department of Youth Services, when they found him hiding in the apartment and took him into custody along with another 17-year-old at the Pearl Street apartment.

An assistant district attorney said the wanted teen was an alleged gang member and the drug arrests were made after police smelled marijuana in the apartment.

Police seized a bong for smoking drugs, 10 baggies of a white powdery substance, four bags reportedly containing marijuana, a scale, plastic baggies and a .45 caliber bullet.

The second teen, who was on probation, was ordered held without bond in Attleboro District Court pending a probation violation hearing. He has previous convictions for carrying a dangerous weapon, possession of marijuana, vandalism and driving to endanger, according to the report. He is also accused of making telephone threats to a family member over money reportedly owed for drugs.

The other teen was ordered held in jail on $4,000 cash bail. Both teens pleaded innocent and their lawyers deny their clients had any involvement with drugs in the house. One of the lawyers did indicate challenging the legality of the search was being considered.

Continue reading "Teens face Attleboro, Massachusetts drug charges, probation violation hearing" »

A Massachusetts drug possession charge was brought against a Weymouth man, Gregory M. Orlowski. The Braintree police brought charges of possession of heroin. Based on the news account, the police made the arrest of Orlowski based on their belief that he was involved in a drug transaction.

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. The police cannot merely act on a mere hunch that they observe a drug transaction, but must have detailed observations that set forth probable cause, such as prior dealings with the individuals being seized, presence in a high crime area, whether or not they see money or drug exchanged. These cases are very fact specific and if successful a motion to suppress would result in the evidence being excluded and the case likely being dismissed.

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The Melendez-Diaz confrontation defense in Massachusetts drug cases is being narrowed by the Massachusetts courts as the Appeals Court has ruled that a police officer can testify that a substance is an illegal narcotic. This avoids the requirement of having a chemist appear in court to testify that a particular substance is an illegal drug, such as cocaine, marijuana or heroin. In light of recent cases, Massachusetts criminal defense attorney will have to be particularly vigorous in objecting to unqualified expert opinion by officers testifying that a substance is an illegal narcotic based on unscientific field testing.

In the case of Commonwealth v. Harris, decided by the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the court held a police officer's unchallenged identification of a substance as cocaine is sufficient to prove it is an illegal narcotic. Further, the court found that the admission of the defendant provided additional evidence proving that the substance was cocaine. Additionally, the case of Commonwealth v. Connelly, 454 Mass. 808 (2009) from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that police officers can field test narcotics and testify that they are illegal narcotics without the need for the chemist to appear. In Connelly, the court relied on this field testing of the officers to find that the admission of the drug certificate was harmless error.

Continue reading "Massachusetts court narrows Melendez-Diaz 6th Amendment confrontation defense in drug cases by allowing police officer to testify that a substance is an illegal narcotic " »

The Quincy Massachusetts police arrest two individuals on drug charges outside of the Dunkin' Donuts on Centre Street according to the Patriot Ledger. Massachusetts Drug offenses typically raise constitutional issues relating to the suppression of evidence, including whether the officer had reasonable suspicion to stop and seize and individual or probable cause to arrest an individual.

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