Teamwork Key to Success of Drug Bust

Teamwork key to success of drug bust

Photos

Photo by Bert Lane

Falmouth Police Chief Anthony Riello addresses the media concerning a major drug investigation which netted dozens of suspects March 31.

FALMOUTH BULLETIN

Posted Apr 07, 2011 @ 03:08 PM

FALMOUTH —

In a world where government agencies are often faulted for not working together, more than a dozen local, state and federal law authorities connected the dots enough to conduct the biggest drug bust on the Cape in 10 years.
The early morning drug sweep which took place March 31 in Falmouth, Mashpee, Bourne and Barnstable was the culmination of a three-year investigation which originated in Bourne in March of 2008. The coordinated investigation, dubbed "Operation Buzzard's Prey," made use of informants, surveillance and the court-authorized wiretapping of seven cell phones. On the day of the sweep, an estimated 200 law enforcement officials took part.
The result: 27 suspects arrested in one day, a total of 32 individuals facing charges, and the dismantling of what law enforcement officials allege was a major cocaine and heroin distribution network for Cape Cod and the South Shore.
"This was really, truly a team effort," said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Pirozzolo in a joint press conference last week at Falmouth police headquarters announcing the arrests.
While Pirozzolo's statement might seem at first like an old chestnut tossed out at all press conferences and most sporting events, the list of agencies involved in the three-year operation is impressive: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Barnstable County Sheriff's Office, the Plymouth County Sheriff's Office, the Barnstable County Superior Court Probation Department, the Massachusetts State Police Drug Task Force and the police departments of Falmouth, Bourne, Mashpee, Barnstable, Wareham, Braintree and Scituate.
The goal of the operation was not to arrest one or two individuals but to break the back of an alleged drug distribution network that Pirozzolo and other officials called "significant."
"As a result of this investigation, that organization is now dismantled," said Massachusetts State Police Capt. Christopher Mason, unit commander of the Massachusetts State Police Drug Task Force, which works with the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office.
At last week's press conference, law enforcement officials pledged to stay vigilant and cautioned that more work is needed. However, their pride in carrying out the operation was obvious.
"This multi-agency effort will not eliminate cocaine and heroin from the Cape and Southeastern Massachusetts," said Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe, "but it will send a signal to those who would put these drugs into our communities that we will find, arrest and prosecute you."
According to an affidavit filed in federal court, agents determined that Russel Rose, 30, of Randolph; Kelvin Frye, 28, of East Wareham; Adalberto Graciani, 38, of Marstons Mills; and Kyle Hicks, 29, of Marstons Mills were the leaders of the organization. They allegedly received supplies of cocaine and heroin from Joel Arias, 25, and Omay Ford, 41, both of Boston, and in turn supplied others on the Cape.
Frye and Rose had been indicted previously and were in federal custody at the time of the March 31 sweep. Also indicted previously were Ford and Michael Andrews, 23, of East Falmouth.
In addition, charges were filed against Anthony Vaughn, 32, who is currently serving a prison sentence in Louisiana as a result of a prior federal drug trafficking conviction. Regarding this case, authorities allege that drugs were sent to Vaughn in prison hidden in toys or snack cakes.
During the sweep, authorities seized $130,000 worth of cocaine, $30 worth of heroin, a 9-millimeter handgun, a 31-ft. Sea Ray sport boat, a limousine, a truck and several cars.
Seventeen suspects face federal drug charges while 15 suspects face state drug charges. The most serious of the federal drug charges carry a maximum sentence of 40 years.
Of the 27 arrested March 31, those facing federal drug charges are: Graciani; Hicks; Arias, Richard Jackson, 52, of Mashpee; Stefan Pina, 40, of East Falmouth; Gregory Slayton, 54, of Mashpee; Delrico Graham, 50, of Mashpee; Jonathan McGee-Baker, 23, of East Falmouth; Jeremy Wobeck, 37, of Falmouth; Wilberto Alvarado, 39, of East Falmouth; Thomas Gibson, 47, of Hyannis; and Bonnie Bearse, 47, of East Falmouth.
The Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office will prosecute the other cases. Those arrested for Conspiracy to Violate the Controlled Substance Act are: Nelson "Luvie" Baptiste, 51, of East Falmouth; Dale Oakley, 52, of Mashpee; Kenneth Mills, 41, of East Falmouth; Lea Jones, 51, of East Falmouth; Thomas Q. Hendricks, 52, of Mashpee; Timothy Bochanowski, 47, of Mashpee; Angela Antone, 43, of East Falmouth; Joseph Gonsalves, 61, of Falmouth; Angela Young, 31, of Mashpee; Daniel Tavares, 43, of Marstons Mills; Douglas Richards, 46, of Hyannis; Brian Hunt, 46, of West Falmouth; Wayne Silvia, 63, of Barnstable; Dane Delouche, 27, of Pocasset/Bourne; and Guy Nelson, 55, of Mashpee.
Authorities said several other "collateral arrests" took place as officers conducted the sweep across the region.

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