New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“Members of the Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction and Enforcement Team’s south unit (MSP CINRET), the State Police Gang Unit, and other state, federal and local police units culminated a lengthy investigation yesterday afternoon by arresting a suspected cocaine trafficker. Troopers and Officers charged STEVEN FONTES, 39, as an armed career criminal and executed warrants at his home on Green Street in Randolph.
The investigation began in the summer of 2020 based on information developed following a motor vehicle stop made by a member of the Massachusetts State Police Troop D Community Action Team. The investigation ultimately involved several undercover purchases of cocaine, leading up to the final purchase yesterday and the subsequent arrest of FONTES without incident.
During the search warrant execution, police seized the following evidence:
01. Approximately 30 grams of cocaine;
02. A 9mm “ghost gun” with a silencer;
03. A .22 caliber “ghost gun”;
04. Approximately 250 rounds of 9mm and .22 caliber ammunition; and
05. A small quantity of US currency suspected to be proceeds of drug sales.
A “ghost gun” is a firearm assembled from various parts acquired from third party sellers and which has no serial number and thus cannot be traced.
FONTES will be arraigned in Quincy District Court and Brockton District Court on the following offenses:
01. Trafficking in cocaine;
02. Distribution of a Class B narcotic, subsequent offense;
03. Possession of a firearm without a Firearm Identification Card (2 counts);
04. Possession of ammunition without a Firearm Identification Card (3 counts);
05. Possession of a large capacity feeding device (2 counts);
06.Possession of a silencer;
07. Being an armed career criminal; and
08. Outstanding warrant.
The investigation and arrest are a credit to the dedication among and teamwork between the various agencies and units involved in the operation. MSP CINRET’s south unit and the Gang Unit was assisted in the investigation and arrest by the State Police Special Tactical Operations Team, State Police Troop D Community Action Team, State Police Detective Unit for Norfolk County, agents from the federal Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Randolph, Brockton and East Bridgewater Police Departments. The MSP deploys three regional CINRET teams – task forces comprised of Troopers, HIS agents, and local police officers — across the state as part of its narcotics enforcement operations.
