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Early this morning Trooper Patrick Dolan, assigned to State Police-Springfield, was on patrol on East Columbus Avenue in Springfield when he observed a black Ford F-150 traveling down the middle of the roadway at 5-10 mph, at times straddling the line between lanes and swerving across the entire road. At approximately 1:10 a.m. Trooper Dolan initiated a motor vehicle stop.
As Trooper Dolan approached the vehicle, he could see one occupant inside the passenger compartment, which was filled with white smoke. When the driver, identified as IVAN MARRERO, 35 of Springfield, opened the driver’s side window, a large cloud of smoke and an overwhelming odor of burnt marijuana billowed out.
Massachusetts State Police photo.
Trooper Dolan noticed that MARRERO had food from McDonald’s in the truck. During the course of a two- to three-minute conversation with the Trooper, MARRERO consumed two entire cheeseburgers and several handfuls of French fries. The behavior struck Trooper Dolan as a possible attempt by MARRERO to conceal any smells that may have been on his breath previously.
Trooper Dolan also observed in the truck’s front cup holder a hand-rolled blunt that was still burning. Trooper Dolan had MARRERO exit the truck and perform a series of field sobriety assessments.
Upon completion of the field tests, Trooper Dolan formed the opinion that MARRERO had been driving under the influence of marijuana. Troopers placed MARRERO under arrest and located $2,076 in cash on his person. He was transported to State Police-Springfield to be booked.
During an inventory of the pickup truck, Troopers located, in the void behind the glovebox, a loaded Glock 26 handgun with a 17-round magazine, fully loaded with 9mm ball-style rounds of ammunition. Further investigation revealed that MARRERO does not possess a license to carry.
Massachusetts State Police photo.
The truck was towed to State Police-Springfield, never out of the view of Trooper Foley, who followed the tow truck. Massachusetts State Police K9 Trooper John Doherty and his partner Duke responded to the barracks to search the vehicle. Trooper Doherty located, in the same area where the firearm had been hidden, a plastic bag containing several individually-wrapped smaller baggies of a white rock substance believed to be crack cocaine, weighing approximately 13 grams total, and nine bundles of wax paper containing a tan powder believed to be heroin.
A query of MARRERO’s criminal history revealed several prior convictions for firearm and drug offenses, as well as two active restraining orders which specifically ordered surrender of any firearms in his possession.
MARRERO was charged with the following offenses:
1. OUI Drugs;
2. Possession of a Class A Drug with Intent to Distribute, 2nd Offense;
3. Possession of a Class B Drug with Intent to Distribute, 2nd Offense;
4. Negligent Operation of Motor Vehicle;
5. Possess of a Firearm in Commission of a Felony;
6. Unlawful Possession/Carrying of a Firearm, 3rd Offense;
7. Firearm Violation by a Person who has Committed 3 Prior Violent/Drug Crimes;
8. Violation of a Firearm Surrender Order;
9. Unlawful Possession of Ammunition; and
10. Marked Lanes Violation.
A bail clerk set bail at $20,000. Unable to post it, MARRERO was transferred to the Hampden County House of Correction pending his arraignment today at Springfield District Court.
The motor vehicle stop led to an arrest of a drugged driver with an unlawfully possessed weapon that he failed to surrender per two protective orders, and the seizure of an unlawfully possessed firearm and narcotics — an outcome that resulted from the combined teamwork of the entire overnight shift out of the State Police Barracks in Springfield and the assistance of an MSP K9 team. The effort was led by Trooper Dolan and assisted by Troopers Chelsea Safford, Dane Jobst, Ben Siok, and Anthony Frissora, as well as K9 Trooper Doherty and his partner Duke.
