<p>A Dukes County grand jury last week indicted three men on charges related to drug trafficking on Martha’s Vineyard.</p>
A Dukes County grand jury indicted three men last week on charges related to drug trafficking on Martha’s Vineyard.
Convening March 3, the grand jury handed down an indictment for Jeffrey Sylvia, 27, of Oak Bluffs, on charges of trafficking in heroin/morphine/opium, more than 36 grams and less than 100 grams; possessing to distribute a class A drug, subsequent offense; possessing a class B drug; possessing to distribute a class D drug, subsequent offense; and drug violation near school/park.
Mr. Sylvia was arrested in late July after Martha’s Vineyard Drug Task Force officers executed a search warrant at a house on Arrowhead Lane in Oak Bluffs, police said. According to police at the time, police allegedly found needles and other items related to drug use, and allegedly located a safe in Mr. Sylvia’s room that contained about 46 grams of heroin, three Suboxone strips, crushed Percocet pills, about one ounce of marijuana and almost $9,000 in cash.
Two New Bedford men were also indicted last week. Desmond J. Roderiques, 24. and Aaron M. Watkins, 28, are both charged with trafficking in heroin/morphine/opium, more than 18 grams and less than 36 grams; trafficking in cocaine, more than 36 grams and less than 100 grams; and conspiracy to violate drug law.
Mr. Watkins and Mr. Roderiques were arrested by drug task force officers in October as they departed a Steamship Authority ferry in Vineyard Haven. According to police, the two men were stopped as the car they were traveling in turned onto Water street after disembarking the ferry and police searched the men and the vehicle by authority of a search warrant issued earlier in the day. Police said they allegedly seized 53 grams of heroin, 23 grams of cocaine, and several containers of marijuana during the arrest, and the drugs had a total street value of $12,000. The drugs were allegedly concealed in the engine compartment of the car.
Police also executed a search warrant at home on Hye Way in Edgartown and said they seized 80 grams of marijuana, methadone pills, and narcotics paraphernalia. Police said they believed the two suspects and others allegedly used the home as a base to deal drugs on the Island.
Arraignments are currently scheduled for April 4.
Comments
Arrowhead Lane a stone's
ConcernedArrowhead Lane a stone's throw from the Oak Bluffs Elementary School. Authorities need a scorched earth policy when it comes to drugs on MVY. The island's reputation as a safe haven is crumbling. Unlike other communities we are blessed to be surrounded by water. We need to leverage that to prevent drugs on our island. Save our island and way of life. Everyone needs to hold each other accountable. Scorched earth.
Dukes County is a sanctuary
SamanthaDukes County is a sanctuary county for drug dealers & illegal aliens and we do need a scorched earth policy when it comes to these issues! The county commissioners seem dumbfounded and I see them thinking about everything but demanding strict enforcement of existing laws!
Drug dealers move their
ConcernedDrug dealers move their product where it is easiest, where there is low risk. Lowest common denominator. Authorities need to create an environment where selling and using drugs on the island is extremely difficult, where selling and using drugs on the island is extremely high risk. Problem largely solved. Dealers are cowards and will seek the easiest path. Our island, 7 miles off southeast coast of Massachusetts, is not an easy destination to begin with. Make it a non-starter if you are a drug dealer to even consider coming to the island. All the broken lives from addiction will find relief. Law enforcement will be praised, promoted and vetted as heroes. Children will sing songs about them. If the island became known as a hard core zero tolerance anti-drug community, tourism will soar, business will boom, families will thrive. We will be the envy of New England. Scorched earth.
the problem isn't drug
john elsewherethe problem isn't drug dealers it is the on island demand for drugs
Does anyone think those arrests were anything more than an inconvenience for the people who want opiods?
Life isn't a movie, you can't solve this by arresting Mr Big, or in this case the Three Stooges
With a 100% certainty that
ConcernedWith a 100% certainty that bust was much more than an inconvenience. A disruption in supply of that size 1) likely saved a life, likely saved someone from becoming an addict, likely saved a mother from soul crushing heartache. 2) Has a larger ripple effect up the distribution chain: moving drugs on MVY....maybe not so easy. Maybe not worth the effort of getting on that ferry. Maybe it's too small a community to try and sell my poison. You are right law enforcement will have a harder time controlling the demand side of this equation. But just like any war, cutting off the supply chain is key to victory. And there is nothing preventing authorities from doing so. They will have 100% support of the community. Scorched earth.
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