Mayor Jon Mitchell and the City of New Bedford, in collaboration with event sponsor Clean Uniforms and More!, are celebrating 4th of July with a fireworks spectacular. The fireworks spectacular will take place overlooking state pier on Thursday, July 4th at 9:00pm.

New Bedford’s Fourth of July fireworks display will be staged from a barge located off State Pier in New Bedford Harbor. Spectators planning to watch the display are encouraged to park downtown. Lower Union Street (east of Water Street) will be closed to vehicle traffic and will be the best spot in the Downtown New Bedford area for pedestrians to view the fireworks display.

State Pier will NOT be accessible during the fireworks and there will be no parking on State Pier on the evening of July 4th.

In addition to the generous sponsorship of Clean Uniforms and More! of the 2019 City of New Bedford Fourth of July Fireworks Display. Tucker Roy Marine Towing & Salvage and AGM Marine Contractors will again support the event this year by providing the commercial barges.

A retired Massachusetts State Police Trooper was sentenced Monday, June 24 in connection with collecting over $29,000 in overtime pay that he did not work.

Paul Cesan, 51, of Southwick, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to one day in prison (deemed served), one year of supervised release, a fine of $5,500 and restitution in the amount of $29,287. In November 2018, Cesan pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds.

Cesan was a Massachusetts State Police (MSP) Trooper assigned to Troop E, which was responsible for enforcing criminal and traffic regulations along the Massachusetts Turnpike, Interstate I-90. In 2016, Cesan earned $163,533, which included approximately $50,866 in overtime pay. Cesan was paid for overtime shifts that he did not work at all or from which he left early. Cesan concealed his fraud by submitting fraudulent citations designed to create the appearance that he had worked overtime hours that he did not actually work. He falsely claimed in MSP paperwork and payroll entries that he had worked the entirety of his overtime shifts. Cesan admitted collecting $29,287 for overtime hours that he did not work in 2016.

The overtime in question involved the Accident and Injury Reduction Effort program (AIRE) and the “X-Team” initiative, which were intended to reduce accidents, crashes, and injuries on I-90 through an enhanced presence of MSP Troopers who were to target vehicles traveling at excessive speeds.

In 2016, MSP received annual benefits from the U.S. Department of Transportation in excess of $10,000, which were funded pursuant to numerous federal grants.

Cesan is the seventh trooper to be sentenced. Last week, former trooper Gary Herman was sentenced to one day in prison (deemed served), one year of supervised release with the first three months to be served in home confinement and restitution of $12,468; in June 2019, retired Lieutenant David Wilson was sentenced to one day in prison (deemed served), two years of supervised release with the first six months to be served in home detention, and restitution of $12,450; suspended Trooper Heath McAuliffe was sentenced to one day in prison (deemed served), one year of supervised release with the first six months to be served in home detention, a fine of $4,000, and restitution of $7,860; in May 2019, suspended Trooper Kevin Sweeney was sentenced to two months in prison, one year of supervised release with the first three months to be served in home detention, a fine of $4,000, and restitution of $11,103; in March 2019, former Trooper Gregory Raftery was sentenced to 90 days in prison, one year of supervised release, and restitution of $51,377; suspended Trooper Eric Chin was sentenced to one day in prison (deemed served), one year of supervised release with three months to be served in home detention, and restitution of $7,125; and retired Trooper Daren DeJong has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Douglas Shoemaker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Chao and Mark Grady of Lelling’s Public Corruption Unit prosecuted the case.

Over the last couple of weeks, Wareham Police detectives developed information about an individual who was possibly selling illegal narcotics from a residence in Onset.

At about 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 26, a Wareham Police detective was conducting surveillance of the area and observed a vehicle leave the residence. The detective assisted by other officers stopped the car on Main Avenue. During a search of the driver and his vehicle, detectives located 388 grams of suspected cocaine in one large bag, 31 individual baggies of suspected cocaine and crack cocaine totaling 28 grams, a digital scale, $645.00 cash, 2 cell phones, and a large knife.

Lashii Ortiz, 24, of 49 Onset Avenue, was placed under arrest and is being charged with trafficking in over 200 grams of cocaine, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and operating an unregistered motor vehicle. Officer Steven Joy transported Ortiz to Wareham Police headquarters for booking before taking him to Wareham District Court.

Detectives assisted by members of the Patrol Division, then executed a search warrant at 49 Onset Avenue. While searching, Officers Joseph Cardoza and Christopher Corner located another 54 grams of suspected cocaine hidden in the residence. Additional charges will be forthcoming from the suspected drugs found in the home. The estimated street value of the narcotics seized is approximately $47,000.

Full-time and Part-time positions available with flexible shifts as we are a 24-hour company. Full-time employees are guaranteed 10 plus hours of Overtime weekly.

Job Duties:
• Picks up and delivers equipment, as directed.
• Returns and unloads returned rental equipment at the warehouse facility.
• Complete pickup paperwork promptly and accurately, returning said paperwork to the appropriate facility personnel.
• Maintains a neat, clean personal appearance.
• Promotes teamwork among co-workers that includes assisting fellow drivers, as needed.
• Demonstrates timeliness, courtesy, sincerity and patience with dealing with customers.
• Markets the company in a positive and professional manner at all times.
• Accepts other duties and activities as assigned.

Education:
• Graduated from an accredited high school or GED

Qualifications:
• Be at least 21 years of age and have had a valid DMV driver license for minimum of 2 years
• Good driving record
• Good physical condition.
• Good organizational skills.
• Willing to function as a cooperative team member.
• Responsible and cooperative attitude.
• Clean and neat in personal appearance.

After a 90-day, probationary period we offer the following benefits for full-time employees:
• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• 401K Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Uniform Reimbursement
• Driver Incentive Program paid annually

Interested candidates can apply via email by sending your resume to employment@enoshomemedical.com

http://enoshomemedical.com/about-us/employment/employment-application/

_________________________________________________________________________________

Enos Home Oxygen & Medical Supply, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, religion, citizenship, national origin/ancestry, physical/mental disabilities, military status or any other basis prohibited by law.

A 34-year-old Central Falls, RI man who was arrested in Attleboro in November 2018 for dealing crack cocaine in a motel parking lot was sentenced to serve a year behind bars, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Gary Hernandez Vasquez pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court to an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

On November 28. 2018, the defendant was observed by Attleboro Police in a vehicle with four other people in the parking lot of the Attleboro Motor Inn. Police witnessed furtive movements in the car and when officers walked over to the car, they saw drug paraphernalia in plain view. When police asked everyone in the car to exit, they witnessed the defendant trying to hide something under the seat. Officers found two digital scales and 10 corner bags containing crack cocaine.

After accepting the defendant’s guilty plea, Judge William Sullivan sentenced him to two years in the house of corrections, with one year to serve and the balance of the sentence suspended for two years. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Melissa Hendrie.

A 37-year-old New Bedford woman became the first defendant to be convicted of drug crimes related to the year-long wiretap investigation dubbed Operation High Stakes, which concluded two years ago, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.

Crystal Hinson pleaded guilty last week in Fall River Superior Court to an indictment charging her with conspiracy to distribute heroin.

The defendant was a distributor who purchased heroin from the Ortiz Drug Trafficking Organization and was identified during the Operation High Stakes Wiretap Investigation. On two separate occasions in June of 2017, the defendant contacted the leader of the organization for the purpose of ordering 15 grams of Heroin. On each occasion she placed her order and was then directed to a meet location where an exchange of drugs and money occurred. Surveillance units observed the deliveries. Over the course of a little more than a week, the defendant purchased 85 grams of heroin from the Ortiz Drug Trafficking Organization. The defendant has an 11-page criminal record.

On June 16, 2017, a task force of law enforcement agencies completed a long-term investigation into the distribution of heroin and fentanyl by a drug distribution organization operating in the New Bedford area. The investigation was dubbed “Operation High Stakes” and it resulted in charges against 21 individuals and the seizure of approximately 400 grams of heroin and fentanyl and a large amount of US Currency believed to be the proceeds of illegal drug sales.

The investigation included the interception of thousands of communications on four different phone lines associated with the organization. As a result, investigators identified many individuals involved in the alleged criminal enterprise, including alleged drug distributors, drug couriers, money couriers, drug customers, and other co-conspirators.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Stephen Butts and the 18 to 30 month state prison term was imposed by Judge Gregg Pasquale.

“The defendant received heroin on a number of occasions during the pendency of the Operation High Stakes, which was a lengthy drug dealing investigation extending from 2016 into 2017. After being arrested in this case, she was charged and convicted of dealing heroin in Falmouth. She is currently serving a three to five year state prison sentence for those offenses and will serve the Bristol County sentence concurrently. She is the first defendant convicted in superior court from this wiretap investigation,” District Attorney Quinn said.

It’s clear to me that our State and Federal governments have misclassified fentanyl and partially why the synthetic opioid now accounts for 90% of all the overdose deaths in Massachusetts. Over 1,500 people died from drug overdoses in Massachusetts last year – nearly 1,350 of the deceased had fentanyl in their system. If our government treated fentanyl more like carfentanil, we would reduce the number of fentanyl dealers on the street and reduce the number of overdose deaths in the state.

Let’s examine how police charge people that are arrested for possession of heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil:

When you are arrested for illegally possessing a drug, you are generally charged with possession (user), distribution/trafficking (dealer) depending on the class of the drug and the amount. For example, someone will be charged with trafficking if they possess more than 10 grams of fentanyl, 18 grams of heroin/cocaine or more than 50 pounds of Marijuana. They’ll be charged with trafficking for any amount of carfentanil and that’s how fentanyl should be treated.

Distribution is simply the act of illegally passing or sharing a drug with someone with the amount not qualifying for trafficking.

The penalty increases as you go from possession to distribution to trafficking, so how we charge people matters. Arresting someone with enough fentanyl to overdose half the city of New Bedford and then charging them as a user shows the lack of understanding our state and federal legislators have on this topic.

Now let’s look at the amount of heroin, fentanyl or carfentanil it takes to overdose a single person. This photo was provided by the Fairhaven Police Department:

This photo also gives you an idea why so many first responders have become high or overdosed at the scene of an overdose where fentanyl was simply present. It takes just a few grains to overdose.

Clearly, fentanyl is more like carfentanil than heroin. In fact, fentanyl and carfentanil are used to mix into street heroin (a diluted form of heroin cut with cheap powders) to make it stronger at a much cheaper cost. By the time street dealers get “heroin,” it’s been cut so many time it has become diluted and weak. Fentanyl, and to a lesser extent carfentanil, is mixed into the heroin to increase the potency. There really is no such thing as a pure fentanyl and carfentanil user. It’s a cutting agent used to spike weaker drugs and fentanyl needs to be treated as such.

Read through any of the city police blotters in Massachusetts and you’ll see a ton of fentanyl possession charges. These charges are inappropriate because these people are distributors/traffickers, not users. Prosecutors and judges have become extremely lenient on users, as they should be. Users need help with treatment, not punished with incarceration. It’s the distributors and traffickers that we should focus our resources on and have tougher punishments for.

It’s a general misunderstanding and classification by our legislators of fentanyl that is partially responsible for fentanyl now being responsible for 9 out of every 10 overdose deaths in Massachusetts. A simple fix would be to treat fentanyl exactly like carfentanil – if you are found with any amount you will be charged as a trafficker, not a user.

The rise in overdose deaths in Massachusetts disproportionately impact the black community – in 2017, there was a 44% increase in non-Hispanic black male overdose deaths. You hear that “addiction doesn’t discriminate”, but clearly fentanyl is impacting the black community more than other communities in Massachusetts.

I’ll be reaching out to every legislator in the south coast Massachusetts area to get their take on this and follow up with an article.

New Bedford police arrested 48-year old Jessica Williams of 960 County Street, apartment #3 of New Bedford on fentanyl distribution charges. County Street was listed at the top spot in New Bedford’s six worst drug dealer infested streets.

Jessica Williams is being charged with distribution of a class B drug (fentanyl), conspiracy to violate drug charges and possession to distribute fentanyl. Fentanyl was responsible for 90% of all the overdose deaths in Massachusetts in 2018.

“To the city of New Bedford:

Can’t we do better than broken up parks and fix these things so our children can play safely? The clear bubbles you’re supposed to see through are gone. The ABC music bells haven’t made any noise except for a clunk for as long as I can remember.

The screws are missing off of things that can just be swung on with. They can hurt someone. I’m just trying to maybe spread some awareness about it. Maybe if I get enough people to comment on here or a petition or something to show we want to make a difference.

It won’t change unless we all come together as a community and show that we actually care about these things. We can do better than this – our community has so much potential ❤️❤️❤️ #togetherasacommunity.” -Brooke Hathaway.

A Holyoke man was sentenced on Tuesday in federal court in Boston for threatening to murder a federal prosecutor.

Carlos Maldonado, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 50 months in prison, 30 months to be served concurrent to a federal sentence he is currently serving, and 20 months to be served consecutively, and three years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of 84 months to be served consecutively.

U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling said, “Anyone who threatens a federal prosecutor will be aggressively prosecuted. Threats against prosecutors – like threats against judges, defense attorneys, or other actors in the court system – are an attack on the criminal justice system itself, and so we will never let them stand.”

“Threatening anyone in the law enforcement family, whether it be a police officer, Special Agent, analyst or prosecutor, is not only an attack on an individual but the entire criminal justice system,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office. “The FBI takes all threats against law enforcement extremely seriously and we will work with our partners to bring those who set out to undermine their safety to justice.”

“The United States Marshals Service will not tolerate anyone who threatens any of our protectees to include members of the United States Attorney’s Office,” said United States Marshal John Gibbons of the District of Massachusetts. “Our office is committed to the integrity and preservation of the judicial process and we will continue to vigorously investigate such threats.”

In May 2019, Maldonado pleaded guilty to threatening to murder an Assistant U.S. Attorney in retaliation for the federal prosecutor’s performance of his official duties. Maldonado was charged on April 26, 2019. Maldonado admitted that, in March 2018, he had written and sent a letter from a federal detention facility, where he was awaiting trial on federal charges for cocaine distribution, to the federal prosecutor responsible for prosecuting the charges against him. In that letter, Maldonado threatened to murder the Assistant U.S. Attorney, as well as the prosecutor’s family.

Maldonado is presently serving a 42-month federal sentence, a compilation of a 30-month sentence for cocaine distribution in 2016, and a consecutive 12-month sentence for his violation of supervised release conditions related to a prior conviction for distributing heroin in 2014.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and John Gibbons, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg A. Friedholm of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.